Canadian coach Dale Mitchell doesn't plan on stepping down. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

Canadian men's soccer coach Dale Mitchell says he has no plans to step down in the wake of Canada's latest failure to reach the World Cup.

But Mitchell lost the services of another player — at least temporarily — after electing not to summon Dwayne De Rosario for Wednesday's game with Mexico following a discussion with the influential Houston Dynamo attacking midfielder.

"It was a good conversation and I prefer to leave it at that," Mitchell said Monday night from Edmonton.

De Rosario, who missed the last game through suspension, was quoted in The Globe and Mail in an article Saturday questioning Mitchell's appointment as coach.

Asked if De Rosario will play for him again, Mitchell said he had promised they would speak again after Wednesday's game against Mexico in Edmonton. "I think we'll see where we are then.

"But the conversation I had with him, I felt quite good about and I don't have any personal problems with Dwayne. I think the future is completely open."

The future, at least under Mitchell, does not include disgruntled defender Jim Brennan, who spoke out last week after not being included in the squad. And it doesn't include De Rosario for the Mexico game at least.

Canada fell off the World Cup qualifying road with a 3-1 loss in Honduras on Saturday night. The Canadians (0-3-1) have two games left but have no chance of advancing to the final round of qualifying in the CONCACAF region, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Mitchell, 50, took over as coach in May 2007 and his contract runs through the 2010 World Cup. He said he had no intention of resigning, but also conceded he had no knowledge of the future.

"I have no idea. I have a contract with a certain amount of time on it. After the qualifying process is done, I imagine I'd speak with the (Canadian Soccer) association about where they see the future."

His record as coach is 3-6-4 with two of the wins coming over St. Vincent & the Grenadines and the other over Martinique.

"We're playing for pride," Mitchell said of the remaining qualifying games against Mexico and Jamaica, in November. "I think there are players here that want to show they want to be part of the future — whatever age they are."

Midfielder Atiba Hutchinson and striker Rob Friend have been allowed to rejoin their clubs in Europe. Called into camp is defender Adrian Serioux, who missed the Honduras game through suspension and Vancouver Whitecaps striker Charles Gbeke.

Given there are two games remaining, Mitchell was reluctant to criticize naysayers or speak out.

"I'd prefer to focus on the guys that are here. Some of them aren't here but they have given a lot to the cause. Frustration can make certain people react in a certain way. Human nature is what it is, and it's part and parcel of the deal at this level. But for the most part, I don't have many complaints."

Mitchell also said he was realistic about the resources of the Canadian Soccer Association.

"I know what it is. I know that the CSA has in terms of dollars in the coffers, I believe. And with the number of teams that need to be supported, it's not a lot. It's not enough. But this team has had a good preparation. We've had time together. Obviously, we would like to be able to do more, but that to me doesn't affect what has happened here.

"At the end of the day, you've got to go on the field and be able to get the results. And as much as we have a good group right now, a good group of guys, we haven't been able to do that and that's international soccer at the highest level."

Asked if the Canadian team had performed up to potential, Mitchell demurred, saying he was not ready to critique the qualifying round with two games left.

Gbeke, part of a national team camp in January, scored both goals and was named MVP in the Whitecaps' 2-1 win over Puerto Rico in the USL championship game Sunday.