Former Mexico national team manager Miguel "Piojo" Herrera has cast doubts over whether current head coach Juan Carlos Osorio can take El Tri to new heights at the next World Cup.
Mexico have gone out at the round-of-16 stage in every World Cup since 1994 and Osorio -- who has been under pressure since the 7-0 loss to Chile at the Copa America Centenario -- is about to embark on the hexagonal stage of CONCACAF qualifying, beginning with a tough trip to face the United States in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 11.
"He can qualify us [to the World Cup], but I don't think it will be any different because in a World Cup the opponents are much stronger," said Herrera in an interview with ESPN.
"I don't see any arguments [to believe otherwise] in the national team's play, even though the human talent is there."
"We will go to the World Cup, but we won't see anything different," reiterated Herrera. "I say it because it's what I see."
Herrera denied he was putting himself in the frame for the position with the comments, although he stressed he wouldn't have struck TV commentator Christian Martinolli if he could turn back time.
With Osorio's national team under pressure, there have been suggestions that Herrera would be the front-runner to take over, although the former Club America coach wouldn't say if he believes himself to be the ideal candidate.
"I don't know; that's for those responsible for the national team to decide," said Herrera. "I left for other reasons. Errors off the pitch meant I couldn't continue.
"Osorio has done things well, he only has one defeat. Whether we like or not how the national team plays is different."
Herrera has revived his career after leaving the national team after the 2015 Gold Cup, with Club Tijuana sitting four points clear in first place in the Liga MX.
Herrera's Xolos side play his former team Club America on Saturday in Estadio Azteca.