By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 3:39 a.m. ET March 24, 2012
SAO PAULO (AP) -Brazil coach Mano Menezes accepts criticism over how poorly his team has been playing and says he is also unhappy its performances.
Menezes said Friday that he can't be satisfied with what the national team has achieved so far and that unfortunately his team hasn't been able to play better.
He said it's important to try to "analyze the causes" for the disappointing results in a time of renovation in the national team.
In an interview with Radio Bandeirantes, Menezes said he has no guarantees of staying with the team until the 2014 World Cup, and defended himself for saying that young striker Neymar would develop more quickly as a player if he moved to European football.
Menezes has been under pressure because Brazil still hasn't been able to show consistent results since he took over the national team after the 2010 World Cup, when the five-time world champions were eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals in South Africa.
Despite victories in many of the friendlies it has played, the team is far from displaying the type of football that fans are used to seeing from the Brazilian national team.
"We are not happy either, that has to be made clear," Menezes said. "It would be the end to be satisfied with what the national team has achieved so far. We want more, as (the media) does and the players do, but we haven't been able give more right now."
In 21 matches with Menezes as coach, Brazil won 13, drew five and lost three. The victories came mostly to non traditional football nations, while the three losses came in high-profile matches against Argentina, France and Germany.
Brazil needed a goal in second-half injury time to defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 in a friendly in Switzerland last month.
Menezes has had to revamp the national team, testing new players and new strategies, but he knows that it's time to start producing some results on the field as there is just over a year until the Confederations Cup and two before the World Cup that Brazil will host for the first time in 64 years.
"We have to analyze the causes," Menezes said. "Everybody has its share of responsibility in a moment of significant renovation like this."
Last year's Copa America in Argentina gave Brazil its only real test in an official tournament under Menezes' command and the team struggled, being eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.
A good result at the 2012 London Olympics is seen as key for Brazil as it's the only significant football competition it hasn't won. The 49-year-old Menezes said he will be taking a quality group of players to London and he expects the team to be fighting for the gold, but despite the pressure he is not concerned with the possibility of losing his job if Brazil doesn't come through.
"When I took over the Selecao in 2010, I never asked for any guarantees," he said. "I'm experienced enough to know how it works, I've never worried about this. I wasn't born here, I won't die here and I won't be any less of a coach if people disagree with me."
One of the reasons Menezes has been criticized is for keeping two-time FIFA player of the year Ronaldinho on the squad despite his poor performances with Brazilian club Flamengo, but the coach defended his actions and said Ronaldinho can still play well enough for the national team.
Brazil great Pele is among those not happy with the way Brazil has been playing under Menezes, saying recently that "Brazil doesn't have its own style, and it's not because of a shortage of players."
Pele also criticized Menezes for saying recently that the 20-year-old Neymar needs to move to European football to improve as a player.
The coach defended himself, saying that he thinks Neymar would gain a lot more as a player by playing abroad, but he understands that for Brazilian football it's obvious that it's better if he keeps playing for Santos.
"For the Brazilian fans, it's important that he stays in the country," Menezes said.
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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44719291/ns/sports-soccer/
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