Mano Menezes out as Brazil coach

Brazil have parted ways with manager Mano Menezes, 18 months before they host the 2014 World Cup. Menezes, who replaced Dunga following the Selecao's quarterfinal exit in South Africa two years ago, took the team to both the 2011 Copa America and the Olympic games in London, failing to win either tournament despite Brazil being favourites both times.

During his 30 months in charge, Menezes' record is impressive but not spectacular -- a 64 percent win rate is excellent, but there were no major scalps or even particularly impressive games he could point to as emblematic of his reign. In that regard, this doesn't come as much of a surprise. Brazil are desperate to win on home soil in 2014, and nothing in Menezes' resume indicated that that was particularly likely to happen. In line to replace him is, apparently, former coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who won the World Cup in 2002. We won't know any details until January, however, so let the speculation begin.