On Way Out, Eriksson Says Mexico Will Qualify For World Cup

Outoing Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said road results did him in, but said that Mexico will right its wrongs and reach the World Cup.

Apr 2, 2009 6:52:41 PM

More On :  Mexico
WCQ: Sven-Goran Eriksson - Mexico (Mexsport)
Despite his firing earlier in the day at the hands of the Mexican Football Federation, ex-Mexico manager said he was happy to have guided Mexico and wished the team good luck.

Eriksson was sacked on Thursday, a day after a 3-1 rout in Honduras. Overall, Eriksson held a 4-3-1 record in qualifying, but none of those victories came on the road.
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"I would have liked to have been on the bench in South Africa but that's football," Eriksson said in a press conference. "I wish Mexico luck."

Mexico need luck and a bit of improvement as well. Three games into the Hexagonal, Mexico are 1-2-0 and are in fourth place with three points. The top three spots are assured of a direct World Cup berth while the fourth-place team will play a team from South America for another World Cup spot.

Asked if Mexico will participate in the 2010 World Cup, Eriksson was adamant in his answer.

"I know they will qualify," he said.

The FMF did not immediately name a successor, though former Atletico Madrid and Tri manager Javier Aguirre and Toluca boss Jose Manuel "Chepo" De La Torre are rumored to be the frontrunners for the spot. Eriksson said FMF President Justino Compean blamed Mexico's poor results on the road as the reason for his sacking.


In his brief tenure in Mexico, Eriksson spent ample time familiarizing himself with the national team, the league and its players. Eriksson was constantly at Mexican league games in person, scouting players and travleling throughout the country to do so. Having never stepped foot inside Mexico prior to his hiring, Eriksson quickly acclimated himself to the nation and learned the Spanish language quickly, and picked up knowledge of Mexican history by visiting museums on his own time.

Eriksson won his first three matches in charge of Mexico - all qualifiers - before the bottom started to fall out. El Tri did not win any of Mexico's final three qualifiers in the semifinal phase but still eeked into the Hexagonal. After an opening match loss to the United States, Mexico returned home victorious against Costa Rica before hitting rock bottom in a 3-1 loss at Honduras.

Despite having led England to a pair of consecutive World Cup quarterfinals, Eriksson will not have the opportunity to take Mexico to the World Cup. However, he said he will leave Mexico with many great memories, and at least one negative image.

"I'm thankful for (Mexico) City and the country in general," Eriksson said. "The only thing I did not like was the traffic."

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