Chelsea confirm Scolari as new manager
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Chelsea have confirmed Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari as their new manager.
The Brazilian was one of the favourites to succeed Avram Grant in the Stamford Bridge hotseat but the timing of his appointment has come as a huge surprise.
Scolari is currently managing Portugal at Euro 2008 and was not expected to make a decision about his future until after the tournament. Chelsea said in a statement:
'Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm that Luiz Felipe Scolari will be the club's new manager from July 1, 2008. 'Felipe has great qualities. He is one of the world's top coaches with a record of success at country and club level, he gets the best out of a talented squad of players and his ambitions and expectations match ours. 'He was the outstanding choice. 'Out of respect for his current role as head coach of the Portuguese national team, and to ensure minimum disruption to this work, there will be no further comment from Chelsea FC nor from Felipe about his new role until his employment with us commences.' Despite a number of big-name managers being linked with the job following Avram Grant's sacking last month, Scolari was always Chelsea's number one choice and nobody else was offered the position. He is likely to be unveiled during the first week of July, at which time the details of his contract will also be revealed.
Scolari's appointment comes less than a week after he insisted he would not discuss his future until after Euro 2008. He said at the time: 'What's going to happen to me after Euro 2008 - if I am going to stay or leave - concerns (only) me and I am not going to talk about it now. 'If I decide to leave or stay, I am only going to make a public declaration at the end of Euro 2008. If something else happens during the Euros, I am not going to answer although things may go this way or that way but I am here to work for the Euros. 'I started working for Portugal in 2004, then I signed up for 2006... I might sign again, I might leave the squad, I don't know.' Scolari's biggest achievement was leading Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002 and he famously turned down the chance to manage England following Sven-Goran Eriksson's departure in 2006. The 59-year-old has no experience of managing at club level in Europe.
Before becoming an international manager, he enjoyed success at club level in Brazil, winning South America's equivalent of the Champions League - the Copa Libertadores - with two different clubs. Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo could come up against his current coach next season if Manchester United succeed in fending off the interest of Real Madrid but the winger does not begrudge the Brazilian ending his time in international football. Instead, he respect's Scolari's right to move on - even though his presence is sure to galvanise Chelsea as they seek to put an end to United's two-season hold on the Premier League title. 'He needs to look for his future. I respect that,' said Ronaldo, speaking after tonight's match against the Czech Republic but before Scolari's appointment was announced. 'If he has better conditions, better things for the family and for him, I respect that. 'This is football, it's always like that. If he goes there it's going to be difficult. If he doesn't go there, another coach will do good work as well.' Former Chelsea midfielder Ray Wilkins described Scolari as 'a manager of top quality'. He told Sky Sports: 'It appears that he's up for a challenge. He's a big guy, he's charismatic. This will be a breath of fresh air.' Stamford Bridge legend Ron Harris also welcomed the appointment. 'I think it's a top-class appointment,' he told Sky Sports News. 'They have got a top-class manager.' Harris believes Scolari will introduce free-flowing football to Chelsea.
'When he was manager of Brazil their emphasis was on attacking style - I think he will bring that into Chelsea football club,' he added.
Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=545647&cc=4716
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finally an attacking minded manager.
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Zomg wall of words... how about Portugal? He gona leave the national team??
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Originally posted by sand king:
Zomg wall of words... how about Portugal? He gona leave the national team??
think so.. unless he like playing FM lor.. can play both national and club... actually i quite confident he can be a sucess in EPL.. if not kana sack nia lor -
a top notch signing....
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...i think he would be another one season manager.
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Originally posted by sebosebo:
...i think he would be another one season manager.
even its a one season it will be a "danger" for other clubs -
and don't forget that scholari has quite an eccentric temper also, im really not surprise if he starts falling out with his bosses halfway thru the season.
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Originally posted by sebosebo:
and don't forget that scholari has quite an eccentric temper also, im really not surprise if he starts falling out with his bosses halfway thru the season.
yea man, hes another who dare speaks his mind. -
who will scolari bring in?
will calvalho stay or go now?
this will be a very interesting pre-season.....for chelsea that it.
wahh....maybe i will travel to KL to catch scolari in person.
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Scolari has been out of club management for a long time already... Not too sure if he can still do it over the 9 months period... with all the press coming down on him in England and his well known temper... he could blow his top at anyone let alone Roman...
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deco coming to chelsea? rofl????1
out of the 4 defenders in portugal, 3 are from chelsea...haha
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SO now we will have Gene Hackman playing Jose Mourinho. And what fun and games that will be down at Stamford Bridge.
The greatest surprise about the appointment of Luiz Felipe Scolari as the new Chelsea boss is the timing. At Euro 2004, he was linked with Benfica and said it was absurd he had to answer questions about his future in the middle of a tournament.
At Germany 2006, he blew a gasket over English journalists seeking confirmation he had been approached by the FA to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson. Again, he said he was concentrating only on Portugal.
Now, he seems to have given Chelsea the go-ahead to announce his appointment on the very night Portugal qualified for the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 by beating the Czech Republic 3-1 in Geneva. It will go down like a lead balloon in Portugal with all sorts of charges of double standards and hypocrisy.
Be that as it may, you can understand why he should be the man Chelsea have chosen to succeed Avram Grant. Providing, of course, he can handle the media. The man known as Big Phil is notoriously touchy when it comes to his dealings with the Fourth Estate.
In Portugal, there is no love lost on either side. At the Press conference that followed the nervous goalless draw at home to Finland that earned Portugal qualification for Euro 2008, he exploded after criticism of his team.
“So you think I’m some sort of donkey?” he shouted. “You think I’m a terrible coach?” With that, he stormed out. How he will react when Chelsea lose a couple of games and come in for the usual Press criticism will be fascinating.
If his credentials for the job are to be questioned it’s in the fact he has never managed a club of such stature, one where the demands are so high and where the spotlight is so fierce. His last club job was with Cruzeiro back in 2001. He also has no experience whatsoever of the Champions League.
Then, again, he has won the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent and, lest we forget, guided Brazil to the World Cup in Japan and Korea in 2002.
Many will say coaching Brazil is the both the greatest and fiercest challenge any manager could face. If we take it managing Brazil is the equivalent of running a madhouse, then he is ideally suited to the post at Stamford Bridge.
Big Phil is a big man in every way. He commands enormous respect among his players. His touchline antics are legend. In Geneva last night he punched the air in delight and was swamped by his coaching staff as Portugal scored their killer third against the Czechs.
There is no doubt that, at 59, this will be the last challenge of the Brazilian’s career. And he will be under no illusions about what he has to deliver to keep the boss sweet.
Brazilian-style football and the Champions League. Not much to ask really.
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he always on my mind since mourinho leave... great appointment.
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Looks like Chelsea boss is willing to spend whatever it takes $$$ to make them Number 1 again.
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I can't wait to see Big Phil loses his cool with the Press and go bonkers...
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actually what I really want to see is Gene Hackman managing the American National Team>hahaha
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BIG PHIL SCOLARI was named Chelsea’s new boss last night — and immediately given a whopping £100million to spend. The Portugal coach starts a three-year Blues deal on July 1. And he will be able to buy the top players on the planet thanks to a bulging transfer war chest.
Scolari will start by signing Portugal playmaker Deco for £10m from Barcelona and he will hand a new £90,000-a-week contract to defender Ricardo Carvalho. Chelsea’s Portuguese ace said: “He is a great manager and a big personality. He’s the kind of guy that players respond to and I think we can go forward with him.”
Portugal’s players only heard the news after yesterday’s 3-1 win over the Czechs. Carvalho, 30, added: “We were all shocked by the news. We heard the rumours but didn’t guess he would be going to Chelsea after the Euros.”
Deco, 30, is known to want a move from Barca this summer after an injury-plagued campaign last term. Scolari said: “What happened at Barcelona last season was not Deco’s fault. “There is only one other player like him at Euro 2008 — and that is Holland’s Wesley Sneijder.
“Deco’s an individual who dares. He’s ready to take risks and do things differently.” Chelsea confirmed Scolari’s appointment last night and SunSport understands that Roman Abramovich personally closed the deal on Monday. Owner Red Rom met with the 59-year-old Brazilian’s people in Switzerland and put the offer on the table.
A club statement read: “Felipe has great qualities. He is one of the world’s top coaches with a record of success at country and club level. “He gets the best out of a talented squad of players and his ambitions and expectations match ours. He was the outstanding choice.”
Scolari had asked for the announcement to be delayed until after Portugal’s interest in Euro 2008 was over. But with speculation rife, it was agreed yesterday Chelsea could confirm the appointment if Portugal beat the Czech Republic.
Scolari has yet to sign a contract with the Blues. But his camp are adamant he will not renege on this deal — like when he changed his mind over taking the England job two years ago after giving the FA his word.
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Gene Hackman & Luiz Felipe Scolari ... Brothers? lol
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Chelsea name Scolari as new £6.25m pa manager
Chelsea have appointed Luiz Felipe Scolari as their new manager and will pay the Brazilian an astonishing £6.25m-a-season over the next three years in what is one of the biggest deals ever agreed in world football.
The announcement caused consternation in Portugal, where Scolari is the coach of the national team who yesterday beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in their quest to win the European Championships.
At first Scolari's advisers, wrong-footed by the suddenness of the announcement, denied that a deal had been struck with Chelsea. They even claimed he would renege on any offer if it was made public, as he once did when Benfica named him as their coach, but they were embarrassingly forced to back-track after the Premier League club made an unequivocal announcement on their web-site.
Even so Scolari has not yet signed a contract. His negotiations are being handled by the agent Jorge Mendes, who has developed into one of the most powerful men in football and who, ironically, also represents Jose Mourinho who was sacked by Chelsea last year. Mendes was still talking to Chelsea last night as to whether Scolari would sign a two or three-year deal but the likelihood was that he would agree the longer contract. What was certain, however, was that he will be the next Chelsea manager.
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Good signing.
better than mancini, rijkaard (loser who cause a team to relegated, loser who managed barca so badly. Luckily he got ronaldinho who bought him the champ league title few years ago), ancelotti (another loser who got milan to 5th place in the league)
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Gene Hackman & Luiz Felipe Scolari ... Brothers? lol
er....i think you got it the other way round......the one on the left is scolari...hehe.
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Originally posted by redDUST:
er....i think you got it the other way round......the one on the left is scolari...hehe.
No I got it right... hahaha...
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Originally posted by weewee:
Good signing.
better than mancini, rijkaard (loser who cause a team to relegated, loser who managed barca so badly. Luckily he got ronaldinho who bought him the champ league title few years ago), ancelotti (another loser who got milan to 5th place in the league)
How about first choice Jungen Klinsmann, 2nd choice Guus Hiddink, 3rd choice Carlos Ancelotti...? -
Originally posted by zocoss:
How about first choice Jungen Klinsmann, 2nd choice Guus Hiddink, 3rd choice Carlos Ancelotti...?
klinsmann has not proven himself. I dont think germany did very well considering they were the host of the previous world cup.Guus hiddink is also a national-orientated coach like scolari but he is more capable of making weak team strong. I find guus hiddink too mild-mannered these days. I think scolari will be a better manager/coach for chelsea because he has more personality. What chelsea needs is someone who is outspoken, play mind games. I dont think scolari is looking for a very long term job as he is already 59. I think he is just looking for a few good years with chelsea. After that, fall out can retire already.
With chelsea money, they can afford to spend lots of money on a new and outspoken coach every 3-5years. Coach like Ranieri is far too mild that's why he cannot make it.
Ancelotti lol. I already explained in my previous post.