Liga MX: Chelis back with Puebla for fourth stint with team

This Wednesday, February 6, 2019, Puebla officially announced that Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, better known as “El Chelis” would be returning as the manager of the team for the fourth time. The news came after La Franja let go of Enrique Meza, becoming the third team this season to part ways with its manager.

“Chelis” had managed Puebla in three different stints before, from 2006-2008, then again from 2009-2010 and finally a short stint in 2014, that only lasted 14 games. The Mexican manager had been very successful with Los Camoteros, achieving promotion to the Liga MX with the club in 2007 and taking the team to the semifinals of the Liga MX in 2009.

Sanchez Sola has a record of 35 victories, 39 draws and 39 defeats in 113 total games with La Franja and does have a talented team to work with, in this fourth stint. Some of the more notable current players for Los Camoteros include Lucas Cavallini, who has scored 21 goals for Puebla since his arrival to the team in 2017. Other key pieces on the team are Bolivian international midfielder Alejandro Chumacero, experienced Uruguayan goalkeeper Nicolas Vikonis and Colombian fullback Bryan Angulo.

The team also has some talented young Mexican players like Vladimir Lorona and Aldhair Molina and should be a fairly competitive team this season. “Chelis” is set to be joined by an intriguing technical staff that includes Damian “Ruso” Zamogilny, who played at Puebla from 2006-2008.

“Chelis” had recently worked as a pundit for ESPN and his most recent managing gig came with the Las Vegas Lights of the United Soccer League. For many Puebla fans, the move is a polarizing one as certain people believe that Sanchez Sola has given everything he has to give to the club.

However, the Mexican manager is a Puebla native and clearly cares for the team and it will be interesting to see if he can work his magic this time around. Puebla is currently in 14^th place with five points, but is only two points out of a playoff spot with 12 games left in the 2019 Clausura season.