RIO DE JANEIRO: Only six months after leading Brazil to long-awaited Olympic football glory, Rogerio Micale has been sacked as national senior youth coach writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Micale paid the inevitable price after Brazil’s failure last week in the South American under-20 championship which meant they failed to qualify for the World Youth Cup finals in South Korea in May and June. Brazil are five-times winners of the world title.

Rogerio Micale: golden glory last August

Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador and Venezuela took the all-important top four slots.

Brazil finished a disappointing fifth despite fielding, in Ecuador, a team valued at more than £100m. They managed only 10 goals in nine games.

Micale said: “We’re in mourning and I have to take full responsibility. I was happy with this group of players but unfortunately we did not produce the results.”

His dismissal followed that of the CBF’s youth director Erasmo Damiani. Senior national team coordinator, Edu Gaspar, has been left to pick up the staffing pieces.

Micale joined the CBF in place of Alexandre Gallo 2015 after being youth coach at Atletico Mineiro. The sacking of senior national team boss Dunga opened the way for him to be appointed for the Olympics.

After a slow start a Brazilian team starring Neymar and Gabriel Jesus picked up momentum and ultimately defeated Germany on penalties after a 1-1 extra-time draw in the final in front of a deliriously happy 63,000 capacity crowd in Maracana.

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