| | |  Americas & Beyond | July 2008 
World Cup Qualification a Must, Says Eriksson
 Reuters
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| | Mexico's national soccer team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden speaks to journalists during a news conference in Mexico City, July 10, 2008. Mexico will play against Honduras in their CONCACAF qualifying for South Africa 2010 World Cup, in Mexico City on August 20. (Reuters/Henry Romero) | | |
Mexico City - Mexico has an obligation to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, said new coach Sven Goran-Eriksson this week.
The former England coach, whose first match in charge will be a World Cup qualifier at home to Honduras next month, said Mexico is the better side but complained about the short period of time he would have to work with the team.
Mexico faces Honduras, Canada and Jamaica in the first group phase of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, which will be played between August and November.
The top two then progress to the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers, featuring six teams, next year.
'I think that qualifying for the World Cup is an obligation for Mexico, without doubt,' the Swede told a media conference.
'I think Honduras have a good team but Mexico are better and we have to win. We don't have much time but we have to work.'
Eriksson said his players would only get together three days before the match.
'I would have liked to have had the players earlier,' he said. 'It's not ideal, but it's reality, we have to do it that way and that's the end of it.'
He added: 'I can't say how Mexico will play, or with what style, before I've spoken to the players.
'I feel that Mexico has a strong team and we won't have trouble adapting.'
Eriksson's appointment has caused controversy in Mexico, with critics saying he will not have time to get to know the players and will be unfamiliar with the conditions. |
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