Bullsh*t, exactly the opposite was true. When we won 8-0 we were told that it was meaningless, but now we've lost all of a sudden it's a cause for concern.
Reality is that results matter not one jot in pre-season.
I remember hearing someone say something about youth games that is similarly true for pre-season friendlies - it doesn't matter about winning or losing, it is more important that the players learn and improve.