Eriksson anticipating a 'tricky' encounter

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

Mexico coach Sven Goran Eriksson has admitted that Jamaica's revamped squad will make tonight's World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium a tricky encounter.

The Swede guided Mexico to a 3-0 win in the first-leg match on September 6 at the Azteca, but pointed out that he cannot base his pre-game plan on the players that were in Mexico City.

New coach

"We know much about them from how they played the last time in Mexico," Eriksson said yesterday at the Hilton hotel where the team is staying. "But now it is almost impossible to know what to expect tomorrow because it's a new coach, so I really don't know how they're going to play, what line-up they will have, which system they're going to use."

Interim coach Theodore Whit-more and his assistant Bradley Stewart have selected eight players who were not included in the first three World Cup qualifying games with Mexico, Honduras and Canada.

Brazilian Ren? Simoes was in charge of the first set of games but was sacked after a 0-2 loss to Honduras on September 10.

Jamaica's only point and goal came against Canada on August 20 in a 1-1 draw in Toronto.

Seasoned players

Most of the players called up by Whitmore are seasoned campaigners and, in the case of Evan Taylor and Obrian Woodbine, will bring much more experience to the team than the players they are replacing.

"We have much respect for Jamaica," Eriksson stated, "but the most important thing is we do our job and we play good football - defending well, attacking well and do everything to win."

After his team's only training session at the National Stadium yesterday, he added: "The pitch is OK to play on. We're living well, eating well and everything is perfect and we hope it will be good tomorrow at seven o' clock as well."

Mexico lead the group with maximum nine points and are always a safe bet to qualify for the World Cup.

Expectations

Eriksson, who previously coached England and came under immense pressure when that country failed to qualify for the 2008 Euro Championships, says he is aware of the high expec-tations of the Mexicans.

"I knew before I took the job that it's (qualifying) a must and if Mexico don't qualify I don't have a job any more," he said. "I'm not that kind of guy who is nervous (now) - not today, I will be when it's time for kick-off."