Brazil's coach Wanderley Luxemburgo returns from Paraguay with his Copa America winners a happy man in the knowledge that he can sit a little more comfortably in the hottest seat in international football management.

Luxemburgo has proved an assertive and decisive coach but he was well aware that failure to lift the oldest trophy in international football would make him accountable for those decisions in the face of a media that traditionally displays all the table manners of a shoal of piranhas when a tasty managerial morsel is on the menu.

Luxemburgo was appointed as the successor to the legendary Mario Zagallo in the wake of Brazil's disastrous 3-0 World Cup final defeat by France last season.

To say Zagallo is a hard act to follow would be an understatement. Zagallo, uniquely, was involved in all four of Brazil's World Cup winning teams - as a player in 1958 and 1962, as a coach in 1970 and as a technical adviser in 1994.

Luxemburgo initially tried to combine the national team job with his club role as Corinthians manager but soon was pressurised into relinquishing his position with the Sao Paulo outfit.

His build-up to the Copa was fraught with problems. He made the decision to dispense with the services of maverick strikers Edmundo, of Vasco da Gama, and Romario, of Flamengo.

Both were undoubtedly talented - and in Romario's case he was the star player of the 1994 World Cup winning side.

But their off-the-field behaviour frequently leaves something to be desired and it was Luxemburgo's first clear hint that he expected discipline from his players.

But it was the coach who showed frayed nerves when he blew his top at fans at the Copa America camp at the tourist town of Foz de Iguazu. The supporters in question had been calling for a reprieve for Romario.

Luxemburgo was then forced to make several adjustments to his squad. Not all of those were injury-related. Edilson was sent home after disgracing himself in a domestic fixture while Leonardo packed his bags after admitting he was suffering motivational problems.

But Luxemburgo used the withdrawals to give youngsters such as Ronaldinho and Alex their head. Perhaps most importantly he showed unwavering loyalty to Ronaldo, widely derided in Brazil following the World Cup final defeat.

Fans continued to barrack the Brazilian striker during the Copa America early stages with Luxemburgo steadfast in his praise.

Some Brazilian legends of yesteryear - such as 1970 stars Tostao and Roberto Rivelino - said Luxemburgo's team were not living up to the traditional standards of flair.

But Luxemburgo stuck to his principles and his team never looked like losing a Copa match, in the end winning the tournament at a stroll. The 3-0 final win over Uruguay was the most impressive performance of the tournament for Brazil.

And now Luxemburgo can turn his attention to the World Cup campaign which remains the primary target for any Brazilian coach in the knowledge that he is likely to remain in charge for the duration of that campaign.

Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos is set to extend his contract with Real Madrid till 2002, according to the Spanish daily newspaper As.