LONDON - Brazil coach Mano Menezes insists he doesn't deserve to be sacked after his side's Olympic final defeat against Mexico because they will use the painful memory to win the 2014 World Cup.
Menezes faces a fight to hang onto his job after Brazil's latest attempt to win Olympic gold ended in humiliation after a lacklustre 2-1 loss to underdogs Mexico at Wembley on Saturday.
The five-time world champions have now lost in three finals at the Games after previous failures in 1984 and 1988, but this defeat was especially painful as Brazil were desperate to secure gold after watching arch-rivals Argentina win the last two Olympic tournaments.
Brazil's strangely lacklustre performance reflected badly on Menezes, with Manchester United defender Rafael da Silva guilty of surrendering possession in the lead-up to Oribe Peralta's opening goal after just 30 seconds.
The whole back-four were guilty of poor marking when Peralta headed the decisive second goal in the 75th minute.
Although substitute Hulk got one back in stoppage-time, the enduring memory of Brazil's Olympic campaign will be Rafael and team-mate Juan exchanging angry words in the closing stages as the reality of their failure hit home.
With Menezes's critics back in Brazil already whispering in recent months that former Selecao boss Luis Felipe Scolari should be hired in time to lead the World Cup build-up, Menezes knows he faces a rough ride on his return home.
But he appealed to Brazil's football federation chiefs not to be panicked into sacking him in the hunt for an Olympic scapegoat.
"Any coach must be ready to suffer the consequences of their results," Menezes said.
"Even when teams win tournaments people (in Brazil) don't always praise the coach so imagine what it is like when you lose."