RIO DE JANEIRO, July 27 – Brazil's new coach, Mano Menezes, said Monday he intended to build a side capable of achieving his nation's football "dreams," as he was officially presented in his new job.
The successor to Dunga, who was axed after Brazil was knocked out of this year’s World Cup in the quarter-finals, is to forge the new team ahead of the 2014 World Cup, which is to be held in Brazil.
In a sign of how completely he planned to overhaul the "selecao," he said a friendly Brazil is to play against the USA on August 10 would count only four players from the South African World Cup line-up.
Menezes, speaking in a Rio media conference, thanked the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) for the "trust" it had placed in him.
"I know that from this moment I am officially taking up one of the most important positions in the country," he said, speaking in slow, measured tones and wearing a gray suit.
He pledged "loyalty, transparency and honesty" to Brazil fans.
Menezes said he would form "a selection able to represent all our ambitions, dreams and desires of Brazilian football."
CBF head Ricardo Teixeira said he wished Menezes luck in his new role and promised the new coach his support "in the good and bad times" ahead as Brazil targeted a sixth championship title in the 2014 World Cup.
Menezes, leaving as head of Sao Paulo team Corinthians, was the CBF’s second choice for the high-profile coaching job.
The first pick, Muricy Ramalho, was unable to free himself from his contract with Rio’s Fluminense to take up the initial offer.
Menezes accepted the CBF’s follow-up offer on Saturday.
Amongst Menezes’s first missions will be the Copa America in Argentina in 2011 and the London Olympics in 2012.
