Brazil coach defends 'historical incompetence' after Copa América exit

Posted Tuesday, July 19, 2011 by theguardian.com

• 'It's important to keep our calm,' Mano Menezes says
• Brazil failed to hit the target with all four penalties in shootout

The Brazil coach, Mano Menezes, asked for calm following their exit from the Copa América.

The Brazilian daily paper O Globo may have branded it an act of "historical incompetence" but the Brazil squad and coaching staff have defended their exit from the Copa América.

The five-time world champions were beaten on penalties by Paraguay after a shoot-out in which they failed to hit the target with all four spot kicks. But despite the failure the coach, Mano Menezes, has pleaded that the public look on the bright side.

"It's important to keep our calm after a loss and avoid thinking that it was all negative," Menezes said. "We improved after the start in the competition and we will continue working hard so we can reach the positive results in the future."

Menezes brought a mixed squad of veterans and promising young stars in order to prepare for the 2014 World Cup on home soil but Brazil recorded only one win in four matches, drawing with Venezuela and Paraguay before beating Ecuador 4-2 in the group stage.

"It's always disappointing when things don't go our way," Menezes said. "We lost to a team which hasn't won a match yet and now has reached the semi-finals. But that's football and we have to learn how to live with that to avoid compromising the work that we've done so far. And at the same time we have to understand what we need to do to improve from now on."

Menezes was not the only one of the Brazil camp to defend their performance. "After the way we played today, I've never seen a more unfair result in my entire career," the Chelsea midfielder Ramires said.