PHOENIX, Arizona -- Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio is trying to shield his players from the waves of criticism back in Mexico while admitting much of it is out of his control.
El Tri's manager was asked here on Wednesday about the pressure he is under ahead of Mexico's Gold Cup quarterfinal against Honduras on Thursday on multiple occasions, but he is attempting to avoid answering the query if possible.
"I'm going to try to do what I can, coach the team well, work as well as possible and if I perceive [criticism], I will try not to transmit it to the players," said Osorio in a news conference at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Asked whether he thought his job was under threat, the Colombian responded by saying the question should be for Mexican federation president Decio de Maria.
The fourth-place finish at the Confederations Cup in Russia earlier in the summer and some shaky performances in the Gold Cup with a Mexico "B squad" has seen sections of the media and former players criticizing Osorio's team selections and tactics.
However, Osorio added that he is happy in his job and focused on helping to bring through a new generation of younger players at the Gold Cup.
"I'm very content to be part of this process with a new generation of Mexican players," said Osorio, who stressed the game against an athletic Honduras will be a challenge for his less experienced players. "60 percent of the [Mexico] players for tomorrow will be very young."
Osorio also suggested that he was prevented from bringing certain players to the Gold Cup as the athletes or, in some instances, their clubs didn't want them to participate.
"I met with seven players we thought about bringing to the Gold Cup. I intended to bring them," Osorio said. "But we had to get to the 23-man final roster. The who, what, why is a question for our bosses and the clubs themselves."
The Honduras team Mexico will face in the quarters has far more players from it's top-tier group.
"We are going to face a team that is ready," Osorio said. " We have a group trying to come together. The three previous results were three positive results for Mexico. Tomorrow with this new group, we will try to play a good game and look to win."
Osorio will watch from a suite as he serves the fourth of a six-game suspension assessed by FIFA for his use of "insulting words" toward officials during a Confederations Cup match against Portugal.
"I can't deny it has been quite a challenge for myself," Osorio said. "It has been very difficult, very frustrating."
Meanwhile, Chivas center-back Jair Pereira defended Osorio's methods in the same news conference.
"The mentality that is being sown in Mexican football with our coach is to be an elite team and to go toe to toe with any other team, but that comes from a base of perseverance and work," said Pereira. "There are no easy teams these days."
Pereira also indicated that he sees the Gold Cup as a chance to "make history."
The winner of the match between Mexico and Honduras will face the winner of Thursday's other quarterfinal between Jamaica and Canada.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.