Enrique Maximiliano Meza Salinas (born 14 November 1979), sometimes known as Enrique Meza Jr., is a Mexican football coach and former player who played as a midfielder.

Enrique Meza Jr
Meza in 2011
Personal information
Full name Enrique Maximiliano Meza Salinas
Date of birth (1979-11-14) 14 November 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Mexico City, Mexico
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Toluca
2001–2002 Necaxa 0 (0)
2002 Gallos de Aguascalientes
2003–2004 Cruz Azul 2 (0)
2003–2004 Cruz Azul Oaxaca 12 (0)
2005 Tacuary
2005 Atlético Mexiquense 2 (0)
2006 Ciudad Juárez 3 (0)
2006 Alacranes de Durango 0 (0)
2007 Chiapas 6 (0)
2007 Jaguares de Tapachula
Total 25 (0)
International career
1995 Mexico U17 7 (2)
2000 Mexico U23 8 (1)
Managerial career
2007–2008 Pachuca (assistant)
2010–2013 Cruz Azul (assistant)
2010–2012 Cruz Azul U17
2012–2013 Cruz Azul U20
2014 Santos de Guápiles
2015 Cartaginés
2016 Querétaro U20
2017 Melgar (youth)
2017–2018 Melgar
2018 Celaya
2019 Veracruz (assistant)
2019–2020 Toluca (youth)
2022 Carlos A. Mannucci
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Meza spent the majority of his playing career in his native country before retiring in 2007.[1] He became a coach shortly after, working as an assistant and technical coach for several sides before taking over as a first team manager in 2014 with Costa Rican side Santos de Guápiles.[2]

Meza is the son of Enrique Meza, who is also a football manager.[3]

Playing career

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Meza playing for Toluca

Born in Mexico City, Meza made his senior debut with Toluca on 2 September 2000, in a 3–2 home win over Celaya.[2] He then moved to Necaxa in 2001, but failed to establish himself as a regular starter for his new side and played for their reserve side at the time, Gallos Hidrocálidos de Aguascalientes.

In 2003, Meza joined Cruz Azul, but featured mainly for their reserve team Cruz Azul Oaxaca before moving abroad with Tacuary for the 2005 season. His period abroad also did not last long, as he returned to his home country with Atlético Mexiquense.

Meza subsequently represented Indios de Ciudad Juárez, Alacranes de Durango[4] and Jaguares de Chiapas (where he featured mainly for their reserve team Jaguares de Tapachula) before retiring after the 2007 Apertura tournament, aged just 27.[1]

Coaching career

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Early career

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Meza coaching Cruz Azul's under-17 team in 2011

Shortly after retiring, Meza became his father's assistant coach at Pachuca, being a part of the staff when the club won two CONCACAF Champions' Cups and the 2007 Clausura. In 2009, while scouting for players in Ghana, due to heath scares about influenza, he was arrested for three days before being deported back to Mexico through Nigeria, despite having a permit to transit in the country.[5][6][7]

In October 2009, when Paul Le Guen became manager of the Cameroon national team, Meza was invited to his coaching staff; he previously had spent a brief period with the national side back in 2008, when Thomas N'kono was their manager.[8][9] He only spent one month with Le Guen before rejoining his father's staff at former club Cruz Azul in December 2009.[10]

An assistant of his father and coach of the under-17 team, Meza led the under 17s to the final of the Mexican and South American clubs invitational Independence Cup, but lost the final to Boca Juniors.[11][12][13] He left the club in 2013, and spent a period between January and May 2014 in Barcelona to undertake courses.[14] In 2012, with the authorization of General Secretary: Horace Reid, Enrique consulted on technical analysis and report for the Jamaica Football Federation during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification matches for CONCACAF region.[15]

Santos de Guápiles

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On 16 May 2014, Costa Rican side Santos de Guápiles announced Meza as the club's technical director and head coach.[16] After finishing ninth, he left the club on a mutual agreement in December.[17]

Cartaginés

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Meza (left) as manager of Cartaginés in 2015

On 14 January 2015, Meza was appointed manager of Cartaginés, still in Costa Rica.[18] He was sacked on 12 March, after only three wins in 11 matches.[19]

Querétaro

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In 2016, Meza was the head coach and technical director of Querétaro's under-20 team.[20] In June of that year, he was highly linked to become the manager of Guatemalan side Suchitepéquez,[21] but the move never materialized.

Melgar

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In January 2017, Meza moved to Peru and took over FBC Melgar's youth team.[22] On 5 October of that year, he was named manager of the first team,[23] and took the club to the 2018 Copa Libertadores.

Meza was maintained as manager for the 2018 campaign on 18 December 2017,[24] but resigned on 29 April 2018.[25]

Celaya

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On 5 July 2018, Celaya presented Meza as head coach and technical director for the club.[26][27] He was dismissed from the club on 6 December, with the side in the last position after 14 matches.[28]

Veracruz

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In June 2019, Meza returned to his home country to join his father's staff at Veracruz, as an assistant coach.[29][30] In September, as his father was sacked, he also left the club.

Toluca

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On 21 October 2019, Meza returned to his first senior club Toluca, being named new manager of the Fuerzas Básicas, the club's youth teams.[31][32] The following 11 June, he was sacked.[33]

Carlos A. Mannucci

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On 7 November 2021, Peruvian side Carlos A. Mannucci announced that Meza will serve as their head coach for the 2022 season.[34][35] He left on a mutual agreement the following 7 March, as the club failed to win any of their first four matches into the new season.[36]

Personal life

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Meza's father, also named Enrique, was also a footballer and also works as a football manager.[3] His brother José Diego is also a manager, and is often a part of his technical staff.[37]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Enrique Meza Jr. se prepara para ser DT en un curso en Barcelona" [Enrique Meza Jr. gets ready to become a manager in a course in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
  2. ^ a b "Arequipa: El técnico de Melgar que estuvo preso en una cárcel de Africa" [Arequipa: The manager of Melgar who was arrested in an African jail] (in Spanish). La República. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
  3. ^ a b "Enrique Meza Jr., tras el éxito de su padre" [Enrique Meza Jr. after the success of his father] (in Spanish). MEDIOTIEMPO. Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  4. ^ "Llegan "juniors" a los Alacranes" [The "juniors" arrive at Alacranes] (in Spanish). El Siglo de Durango. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Deportado de Ghana: Enrique Meza, Jr". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  6. ^ "Enrique Meza Jr. incomunicado en Ghana". La Crónica de Hoy. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  7. ^ "Meza indignado por trato que recibió su hijo en Ghana". Televisa Deportes. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  8. ^ "El hijo de Enrique Meza se integrará al cuerpo técnico de los Leones Indomables a quienes dirige el francés Paul Le Guen". TELEVISA. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
  9. ^ "Mexicanos en el Extranjero: Enrique Meza Jr. trabajo con la Selección de Camerún". Futblogtricolor.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-01. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  10. ^ "Enrique Meza Jr., tras el éxito de su padre". zonawrestlingsoccer. Archived from the original on 2013-02-22. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
  11. ^ "Boca gana a Cruz Azul la Copa Independencia". LaJornada. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  12. ^ "Equipos Invitados Copa Independencia Sub17 2011". Copa Independencia. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  13. ^ "Final Boca Juniors vs Cruz Azul Sub-17". Taringa!. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
  14. ^ "Santos de Costa Rica contrata al hijo del Mexicano Enrique Meza". OEM. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  15. ^ "Horace Reid". INSIDE World Football. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  16. ^ "Santos de Costa Rica contrata al hijo del Mexicano Enrique Meza" [Santos from Costa Rica sign the son of Mexican Enrique Meza]. Julio Cesar. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  17. ^ "César Eduardo Mendez regresa al banquillo del Santos de Guápiles" [César Eduardo Méndez returns to the bench of Santos de Guápiles] (in Spanish). CRHoy. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  18. ^ "Enrique Meza Jr. es el nuevo técnico de Cartaginés" [Enrique Meza Jr. is the new manager of Cartaginés] (in Spanish). La Nación. Retrieved 2015-01-14.
  19. ^ "¡Se agotó la paciencia! Enrique Meza no es más técnico del Cartaginés" [Patience is over! Enrique Meza is no longer manager of Cartaginés] (in Spanish). CRHoy. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Emocion Sin Goles: Enrique Meza Salinas". Club Querétaro. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  21. ^ "Hijo del Ojitos Meza, nuevo DT del Campeón de Guatemala" [Son of Ojitos Meza, new manager of the champions of Guatemala] (in Spanish). Récord. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  22. ^ "FBC Melgar presentó a sus nuevos refuerzos". Diario Correo. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  23. ^ "Melgar oficializó a Enrique Meza como entrenador por todo el Torneo Clausura" [Melgar turn official Enrique Meza as manager for the entire Clausura] (in Spanish). Libero. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  24. ^ "Melgar: Enrique Meza continuará siendo el DT en el 2018" [Melgar: Enrique Meza will remain on being the manager in 2018] (in Spanish). Depor. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  25. ^ "Enrique Meza presentó su renuncia a la dirección técnica de Melgar" [Enrique Meza presented his resignation to Melgar's technical board] (in Spanish). Radio Programas del Perú. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  26. ^ "Enrique Meza Salinas Toma Dirección Técnica de Toros y Pide a la Afición Exigir Buenos Resultados" (in Spanish). Así Sucede Guanajuato. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
  27. ^ "Presenta Toros de Celaya a Enrique Meza Salinas Como Su Nuevo Director Técnico" (in Spanish). AM. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
  28. ^ "Celaya se queda sin técnico, despiden a Enrique Meza" [Celaya end up without manager, they sack Enrique Meza] (in Spanish). AM. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  29. ^ "Le Echan Ojitos al Veracruz: Meza es el Nuevo DT". El Grafico. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  30. ^ "Veracruz Presenta al "Ojitos" Meza Como Su Nuevo técnico". El Universal. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  31. ^ "Enrique Meza Salinas es el Nuevo Director de Fuerzas Básicas en Toluca" (in Spanish). Marca Claro México. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  32. ^ "Toluca: Hijo de Enrique Meza Nuevo Director de Fuerzas Básicas en Liga MX". Mediotiempo. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  33. ^ "Destituyen a Enrique Meza Jr. como estratega de las fuerzas básicas del Toluca" [They sack Enrique Meza Jr. as manager of the youth sides of Toluca] (in Spanish). Plana Mayor. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Bienvenido Enrique Meza a Club Carlos A. Mannucci" [Welcome Enrique Meza to Carlos A. Mannucci] (in Spanish). Club Carlos A. Mannucci. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
  35. ^ "Mannucci confirma la contratación del mexicano Enrique Meza Jr. como DT" [Mannucci confirm the signing of Mexican Enrique Meza Jr. as manager] (in Spanish). La República. Retrieved 2021-11-14.
  36. ^ "No va más: Enrique Meza dejó de ser técnico de Carlos A. Mannucci" [Out: Enrique Meza left as manager of Carlos A. Mannucci] (in Spanish). Radio Programas del Perú. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Diego se inspira en su padre, Enrique 'Ojitos' Meza, para destacar en Antigua GFC" [Diego inspires on his father, Enrique 'Ojitos' Meza, to be a spotlight at Antigua GFC] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
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