Buenos Aires: Argentina coach Sergio Batista has dismissed the thought that he will step down from the helm of the national team, despite a disappointing Copa America which saw the hosts condemned to an early exit.
The Albiceleste were defeated at the quarter-final stage after a 5-4 penalty loss to bitter rivals Uruguay, with Carlos Tevez's miss proving crucial in a match which finished 1-1 after extra time. The loss extends the Argentine trophy drought to 18 years, with the 2014 World Cup the next opportunity the team will have to lift senior silverware.
Speaking the day after elimination, however, Batista defended his position and insisted that resigning had not crossed his mind.
"I signed my contract just two months ago and I am not thinking about [resignation] at all. It has not even entered my head," the coach told reporters in Sunday's press conference.
"The elimination hurts, but we must continue our project. The most important thing is the World Cup."
The Seleccion have come in for a rough ride after Saturday's defeat, with many considering the last eight departure a failure. Batista, however, did not agree.
"I would not call it a failure. We did everything possible to win the Copa. The word failure is very strong, and I don't think it has been a failure," he stated.
Argentina's next competitive match will be on October 7, when they take on Chile at home in their first World Cup qualifying fixture.
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