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Mexico will improve against Honduras - Eriksson
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The heat is being turned on to coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in Mexico after his team performed below par in two consecutive games against Jamaica and Canada.
He has responded by calling all his 'big guns' to attack Honduras in their vital encounter on November 19.
"All the players will be called, those that play in Mexico and those in Europe. The best will be there, I don't know if there will be 23, 21 or 20, but without a doubt, they will be the best," he told JamaicaWin.com yesterday.
The Mexican team will have to improve their play away from home if they are to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa, Eriksson admitted. They had to come from behind twice to draw with Canada, four days after losing 0-1 to Jamaica, complicating their passage to the CONCACAF final round of six.
"We have to play better away from home. It's tough playing outside, because of the pitches and a lot more," said Eriksson. "I do not want to give excuses because we should be playing well on whatever field, Jamaica, Canada or Honduras; we need to be more positive, more optimistic when we play away, more ambitious and play with the same spirit with which we play in Mexico."
Mexico are leaders in Group B with 10 points, one more that Honduras and three more than Jamaica. Canada, already eliminated, have two. The top two advance to the final round where the top three will get direct tickets to South Africa.
"Every team plays better at home than abroad, but it was a negative surprise for me to see the game against Jamaica, where I thought we lost without even thinking of winning," Eriksson said. The Mexicans visit Honduras on November 19 knowing that they must at least draw to ensure promotion to the next round - without depending on other results.
"I think our rivals should be more nervous of us than we are of them. The truth is in the three games at home they played really well, but away it was not so, we have to work on that. In Canada we played a lot better than in Jamaica and in Honduras we will play even better," assured the Swede, who took over as coach of Mexico in June.
Meanwhile, coach of El Salvador, Carlos de Los Lobos, assistant to Manuel Lapuente in the World Cup Finals in France '98, said that Mexico are aloft.
"The Mexican team underestimates the CONCACAF area," he opines. "That has come to light since the change of coaches; there was not enough time for Eriksson to work while the elimination goes on.
"Mexico won as hosts, that's certain, but not convincingly and they have suffered in the two games they have played away, just like they will suffer when the play Honduras, a very strong team which plays to the death at home. I think the mistake that Mexico have made is to underestimate the quality of football in the area which has improved and is now not easy for anyone. If Mexico had not drawn against Canada, I am not sure that they would qualify for the next round owing to the conditions under which they will have to play."
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The heat is being turned on to coach Sven-Goran Eriksson in Mexico after his team performed below par in two consecutive games against Jamaica and Canada.
He has responded by calling all his 'big guns' to attack Honduras in their vital encounter on November 19.
"All the players will be called, those that play in Mexico and those in Europe. The best will be there, I don't know if there will be 23, 21 or 20, but without a doubt, they will be the best," he told JamaicaWin.com yesterday.
The Mexican team will have to improve their play away from home if they are to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa, Eriksson admitted. They had to come from behind twice to draw with Canada, four days after losing 0-1 to Jamaica, complicating their passage to the CONCACAF final round of six.
"We have to play better away from home. It's tough playing outside, because of the pitches and a lot more," said Eriksson. "I do not want to give excuses because we should be playing well on whatever field, Jamaica, Canada or Honduras; we need to be more positive, more optimistic when we play away, more ambitious and play with the same spirit with which we play in Mexico."
Mexico are leaders in Group B with 10 points, one more that Honduras and three more than Jamaica. Canada, already eliminated, have two. The top two advance to the final round where the top three will get direct tickets to South Africa.
"Every team plays better at home than abroad, but it was a negative surprise for me to see the game against Jamaica, where I thought we lost without even thinking of winning," Eriksson said. The Mexicans visit Honduras on November 19 knowing that they must at least draw to ensure promotion to the next round - without depending on other results.
"I think our rivals should be more nervous of us than we are of them. The truth is in the three games at home they played really well, but away it was not so, we have to work on that. In Canada we played a lot better than in Jamaica and in Honduras we will play even better," assured the Swede, who took over as coach of Mexico in June.
Meanwhile, coach of El Salvador, Carlos de Los Lobos, assistant to Manuel Lapuente in the World Cup Finals in France '98, said that Mexico are aloft.
"The Mexican team underestimates the CONCACAF area," he opines. "That has come to light since the change of coaches; there was not enough time for Eriksson to work while the elimination goes on.
"Mexico won as hosts, that's certain, but not convincingly and they have suffered in the two games they have played away, just like they will suffer when the play Honduras, a very strong team which plays to the death at home. I think the mistake that Mexico have made is to underestimate the quality of football in the area which has improved and is now not easy for anyone. If Mexico had not drawn against Canada, I am not sure that they would qualify for the next round owing to the conditions under which they will have to play."
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