MEXICO CITY, June 4: Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was named as the new Mexico coach on Tuesday the day after leaving Premier League club Manchester City.

“I’m very proud to be the coach of the Mexican national team,” the former England coach told reporters. “I accepted because it’s a big challenge. Our target is the World Cup and to try and do better than last time.

“Obviously, I don’t have a deep knowledge of Mexican football but that is something I’m going to change quickly....Like any coach who changes country, I will have to work and that doesn’t bother me.”

Eriksson parted company with Manchester City after leading them to a respectable ninth place in the English Premier League.

The 60-year-old Swede’s appointment was approved by the owners of the country’s 18 first division clubs, who make up the Mexican federation’s national teams committee.“It’s unanimous. Eriksson has been accepted by all the owners,” Guadalajara President Jorge Vergara said.

Eriksson was initially the third choice behind Atletico Madrid’s Javier Aguirre and Portugal’s coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The Swede, the first foreigner to coach England, replaces Hugo Sanchez who was fired in March after the Under-23 team, which he also coached, failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.—Reuters