Cruz Azul After retiring as a player, he began his coaching career in 1994 with
Cruz Azul, the club where he achieved his greatest success and with which he is most closely identified, having managed the team on four occasions. In his first spell, he turned Cruz Azul into a league contender and lifted the
1996 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, his first title as a coach. In his second spell, he reached his greatest triumph: winning the
Invierno 1997 championship, which ended a nearly 17-year league title drought. Earlier that same year, he had also secured the
1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. He later returned for a fourth stint, delivering the club’s sixth
CONCACAF Champions' Cup title.
Monarcas Morelia After his initial tenure with Cruz Azul, Tena took charge of
Monarcas Morelia, a club then seeking prominence. In his first campaign, he guided the team to their first league title, the
Invierno 2000 championship.
América In 2006, Tena faced one of the biggest challenges of his career when he managed
Club América. He led the team to the final of the Clausura 2007, but ultimately lost to Pachuca. In November 2010, he was appointed assistant coach to
José Manuel de la Torre with the
Mexico national team. However, starting in March 2011, he took charge of the
under-23 side. In October 2011, he guided the team to a gold medal at the
Pan American Games in Guadalajara, defeating Argentina 1–0 in the final. In April 2012, Mexico qualified for the
Summer Olympics in London by beating Honduras 2–1 in extra time in the pre-Olympic final. At the Olympics, Mexico advanced from the group stage as leaders. They faced Senegal in the quarterfinals, winning 4–2 in extra time. Three days later, they defeated Japan 3–1 to reach the final. Mexico secured the Olympic gold medal in football by defeating Brazil 2–1 at
Wembley Stadium. This accomplishment is widely regarded as one of the most significant milestones in the history of Mexican football and, more broadly, in the nation’s sporting achievements.
Guadalajara In 2019, Tena was appointed head coach of
Guadalajara during a complicated period for the institution. He managed to lift the squad’s spirits and qualified the team for the Guardianes 2020 playoffs. However, after an inconsistent start in the following tournament, he was dismissed.
Guatemala On 9 December 2021, he became the manager of the
Guatemala national team. ==Honours==