Sven Goran Eriksson - file
mexico city (ap)
Sweden's Sven-Goran Eriksson would have a hard time adapting to Mexico if he's chosen to be the new manager of the country's national team, defender Carlos Salcido said yesterday.
Reports have Eriksson, the former England manager who coached Manchester City this past season, at the top of the candidates' list to take over as manager of El Tri, which has been vacant since Hugo Sanchez was fired on March 31, after failing to qualify the under-23 team for the Olympics.
Mexican Javier Aguirre took himself out of contention last week and will return to Atletico Madrid for a third season, while Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari reportedly asked for more than Mexico is willing to pay.
Very difficult
"I would like someone who knows the Mexican league, who knows Mexicans. We are very difficult. We are different and we need a coach who can come in and let us be free," Salcido told a press conference. "If it's Eriksson, it's fine, but we don't have all the time in the world and we do not have the luxury of waiting to see what might happen."
The PSV Eindhoven defender and the rest of the Mexican squad trained yesterday for upcoming friendly matches against Argentina on June 4 in San Diego and Peru four days later in Chicago. Those matches will serve as preparation for their World Cup qualifier series against Belize in mid-June.
"(Eriksson) does have the capacity, but we need to see how he adapts," Salcido added. "If he is quick, then we will not have any trouble. But, it took me three-to-four months to adapt (to the Netherlands). Let's just hope that he can make it quick because the qualifying rounds are coming up."
The Mexican football federation selected Jesus Ramirez as the national team coach for the next four matches. Ramirez won the Under-17 world title in Peru 2005.
Little respect
Andres Guardado, a midfielder for Deportivo La Coruna, thinks Ramirez isn't appreciated enough.
"They have little respect for "Chucho", he is valuable," Guardado said. "He is the coach now. He's not just window dressing. We have to support him because he will be in charge the next four games.
"If they want to bring someone else, that's another story," Guardado added. "We feel like we have a coach now. We're working on his ideas, and then we will see what happens."
Guardado refused to comment on the possibility that Eriksson might take over, but suggested that whoever the new manager is, he should hire Ramirez for advice.
"If a European who does not speak Spanish is chosen, it would be a great idea to have someone who knows us next to him," Guardado said. "It would be nice if Ramirez works for the next coach, but we do not decide, we do not make suggestions, we just do as told."
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