Muricy, the champion, puts pressure on Mano.

Marco Damiani_247 - Before the triumph of winning the Copa Libertadores de América, in Santos' 2-1 victory over Peñarol last night at the Pacaembu stadium in São Paulo, coach Muricy Ramalho asked journalists in a press conference the day before the game: "After the Libertadores, what will you expect from me? The championship of Mars, of Saturn?". Answer: no, Muricy, what they will inevitably want from you is the conquest of the next World Cup in 2014, in Brazil, by the Brazilian National Football Team.

More than just a desire that extends far beyond Santos fans, Muricy leading the national team would be a natural solution to a potential failure of Mano Menezes' team in the Copa América, scheduled to begin on July 1st in Argentina. So far, while Muricy hasn't stopped winning games and the biggest title of his spectacular career, Mano hasn't yet shown his worth as head coach of the national team. He's managed 8 games, with 6 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses – the most painful ones for the fans, against Lionel Messi's Argentina and a still-stuck-in-the-throat loss against France. The biggest problem, however, even above the record of results (67% success rate), lies in the quality of football played by the national team. Unlike Muricy's Santos, which makes it difficult for analysts to pinpoint which sector of the team – defense, midfield, or attack – is the best, Mano's national team hasn't found its footing. Who, for example, is the starting goalkeeper? Julio Cesar, Victor? In midfield, there's still no decision on which players will actually be featured on the stickers (or can we believe Jadson? wearing the yellow jersey until the World Cup?). The attack, even with Neymar (is he really a guaranteed starter under Mano?), hasn't shown much yet. punch to force opponents to create special marking schemes, as happens in front of Santos' goal line.

In 2009, Muricy was almost caught in a trap set by Ricardo Teixeira, who was assisted by Rodrigo Paiva, the most influential press officer in Brazil. During a lunch at the elegant Itanhangá Golf Club in Rio, the coach, then at Fluminense at the start of the Brazilian Championship, was, let's say, invited to take over the national team. His resume, up to that point, of three-time Brazilian champion with São Paulo (2006/2007/2008), two-time Pernambuco champion with Náutico (2001/2002), two-time Rio Grande do Sul champion with Internacional (2003 and 2005) and São Paulo champion with São Caetano (2004), was already the most brilliant in Brazil, rivaled only, and with good will, by that of the troubled Vanderlei Luxemburgo – and far from Mano's resume (champion of the Série B with Grêmio, in 2005, Rio Grande do Sul champion in 2006 and 2007, also with the Southern tricolor, and champion of the Série B in 2008 with Corinthians, and, in 2009, of the Copa do Brasil).

The hiring of Muricy, given Teixeira's call, was already a merit-based requirement. But the CBF president, true to his style, had a sour face throughout the meeting, didn't mention salaries, didn't explain the working conditions, in short, made an offer as if he were carrying out a demotion or a dismissal. Ethical and faithful to his commitment to Fluminense, Muricy wavered, but didn't accept. He stayed at the club and led them to the 2010 Brazilian championship. Now, at Santos, he did what he did, conquering America. As a bonus, he took a sports car home, an offer from sponsor Toyota to the champion coach. In December, Muricy will try for the FIFA Club World Cup, where he could face Barcelona. After that, not Mars or Saturn, but necessarily, and even more so if Mano doesn't bring the Copa América, the Brazilian National Team here on Earth. "I'm not a coach for league championships, knockout tournaments, or anything like that. I'm a football coach," said Muraça, a star since his days in the Paulista Dente de Leite Championship in the early 1970s, after yesterday's victory. He's the man.