Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 6y

Mexico's Juan Carlos Osorio hoping to win over fans at World Cup

COPENHAGEN -- Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio says he hopes to win over the nation at the World Cup, despite fans shouting for his resignation.

Osorio's name was chanted around Estadio Azteca in the aftermath of El Tri's 1-0 victory over Scotland last Saturday, but calling for his departure rather than in encouragement.

The Colombian manager stated after the game that he did not hear the negative chants, but is keen to use the World Cup to overcome his negative image in Mexico, which has become entrenched despite Osorio's team winning just over two-thirds of his matches in charge.

"I think not," said Osorio, chuckling, when asked in a BBC Mundo interview about his popularity in Mexico. "I think that the average Mexican on the street hears too much information.

"Some of that information is not true and I hope to be able to change that during the World Cup."

Osorio's reign since October 2015 has been punctuated by a rotation policy that has been criticized by pundits and former players, many of whom also point to the 7-0 loss to Chile in the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario in 2016 as evidence Osorio should leave his post.

The manager is likely to do so after the World Cup and is keen on working in Europe, although that would be eased by Mexico performing well in Russia, with Osorio setting the quarterfinals as the primary objective. 

"For me, reaching the quarterfinal, hopefully the semifinal; that is our objective," said Osorio. "We know that there are some very, very good teams.

"If we compare our best 11 players with the best 11 of any other team, I think we are very even.

"But the problem is player No.12, 13 and down. There are very strong teams like Germany. Their player No. 20 could be as could as the No. 10. Maybe that is the greatest difference with us."

Mexico is currently in Copenhagen preparing for Saturday's final tune-up game against Denmark. El Tri opens its World Cup campaign against Germany on June 17 in Moscow.

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