Get Ready for the La Volpe Experiment at Club America

The 2016 Apertura season was supposed to be special for Club America.

With a 100-year anniversary looming in October, the current tournament was set to be a massive celebration for Mexico's most successful Liga MX team.

Instead, supporters are now scratching their heads after an average start that has left the club in a less-than-exciting sixth place in the standings. Most clubs would be happy to be in playoff position, but America fans expect constant success. And they should: America's 12 league titles are the most by any team in Mexico. Fans and ownership are rarely happy during even the shortest of slumps or dips in form.

So it was no surprise when manager Ignacio Ambriz was fired last Sunday following a 2-0 loss to Leon at the Estadio Azteca, the fourth home game in a row without a win. It also didn't help that the 51-year-old Ambriz, who had been in charge for barely over a year, lost to Chivas, America's biggest rivals, just one month earlier.

Already halfway through the season, Las Aguilas ownership acted fast and surprisingly brought in the combustible 64-year-old Ricardo La Volpe to replace Ambriz.

On Thursday afternoon, the former Mexican national team coach was announced as America's new manager. His contract extends until next summer. Las Aguilas' hope for a rewarding tournament has landed on the shoulders of the Argentine.

Así fue la llegada de nuestro nuevo Director Técnico Ricardo La Volpe a Coapa. ¡Bienvenido! — Club América (@ClubAmerica)September 22, 2016

Will La Volpe succeed?

La Volpe, whose influences can be seen throughout Mexican soccer, should be able to bring back entertaining futbol to America. Through a likely 5-3-2 formation with high-pressing wingers, Las Aguilas' supporters will see offensive soccer.

La Volpe also has an excellent roster to work with, one that could thrive in his preferred formation. Noteworthy stars like Oribe Peralta, Rubens Sambueza, and Paul Aguilar should have no problems adapting to a system that all three have used in the past. Newcomer Silvio Romero has been excellent in his first season with the team, and has scored in five of his last nine games.

However, it is fair to worry about the aging manager. Despite his influence over the years, La Volpe has only won one league title. Considering America's high expectations, it's doubtful he would continue on as manager without at least one piece of hardware by the end of 2016.

La Volpe has had little success in his last few tenures in Mexico, and in recent years has been an underwhelming coach who typically doesn't last very long in a job. It could be time to wonder if the league is outpacing the Argentine's methods, influential though they are. Even if America make the playoffs, they still might not be good enough to beat a team like the talented Tigres for the championship.

One also must wonder whether La Volpe is just a placeholder before a bigger name arrives for America. After initial reports said La Volpe was only going to stick around until December, it was later revealed that he was actually contracted until next summer. Either way, it's not a long contract, and it wouldn't be surprising if ownership is already searching for another replacement.

La Volpe's task isn't an enviable one. He will need to hit the ground running during the centennial celebration for a team that is expecting at least one championship in either the Copa MX, Liga MX, or Club World Cup tournaments this year. Anything less will be seen as a failure. With little time to prepare and make his mark, any coach would have a tough time finding success that quickly, and La Volpe's recent history doesn't inspire much confidence that he can pull it off.

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