CORDOBA, Argentina -- Mexico's interim coach Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti refused to be drawn on multiple reports over the last 24 hours that Gerardo "Tata" Martino will be the squad's next head coach.
"I don't comment on speculation, [the information] isn't 100 percent verified, I don't like to opine," said Ferretti at a news conference on the eve of Mexico's Friday friendly against Argentina. "There's an area of the federation dedicated to finding a new coach and I'm sure they'll make the right decision."
Martino has been the reported front-runner for the job ever since it was announced Ferretti would not be considered, with the Brazilian admitting that the one reason he would've liked to stay on would've been to guide and develop the young players in Mexico's squad.
Mexico faces a reasonably strong Argentina side in Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in the kind of preparation game that Ferretti believes Mexico needs more of.
"[These games help] a lot," stated the current Tigres manager. "I believe that, at least from my side, the request has been to play games of the type [against] Chile, the United States, Uruguay and now twice against Argentina."
"The simple fact of going out the comfort zone speaks of the intention of our directors to improve the sporting side," he continued. "I'm not against the commercial side continuing to work, nobody works for free, but there should be a better balance."
Ferretti was not happy that the Mexican national team wasn't able to train on Tuesday due to the equipment not arriving on time and blamed the "lack of organization," without mentioning any names.
The Brazilian is expected to name a strong team to face Argentina and then change it up against the same opposition in Mendoza next Tuesday, with Ferretti stating that some of the seven Europe-based players in the squad may be allowed to leave after the game.
Ferretti also mentioned the reasons why the young Mexico squad doesn't have as many Europe-based players as an Argentina squad also going through a renovation after the last World Cup.
"It starts with the idiosyncrasies of the countries," said Ferretti. "Mexico is a country that imports, not exports like Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. In other countries there is a need to export players.
"Also, the Mexican player from the start of the youth process has to be better, but they enter a comfort zone, a lot of the time they don't want to risk what they have in Mexico and [move abroad to] earn a little less with the possibility of earning much more in the future."
The 64-year-old was asked his opinion about Mexico's level in world football, but said it depends on which side is being judged.
"Is it the team that defeated Germany at the World Cup or the one that was eliminated against Brazil?"
Speculation has been rife about the future of Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez with the national team, but Ferretti said he hadn't spoken to him, simply because he never speaks to players about call-ups, whether they are in the squad or not.
It is Mexico's second time playing at the stadium, the first being a 6-0 loss to West Germany in the group stage of the 1978 World Cup.