Bridge at war - Scolari blows his top again...
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EXCLUSIVE: Bridge at war - Scolari blows his top during furious inquest at Chelsea
Strained relations: Drogba and Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari read the riot act to his under-performing Chelsea players during a stormy meeting at the club’s training ground yesterday. Sportsmail can reveal that a full-scale slanging match developed between some of the club’s star names during the 45-minute meeting after Scolari had asked his squad to air their grievances.
According to sources, ‘it all went off’ as players had a full and frank exchange of opinions in an attempt to rediscover the team spirit at Stamford Bridge that was so successful under Jose Mourinho.
The manager called the squad together for the impromptu session, held in the auditorium usually used for press conferences at the club’s Cobham training ground, to thrash out problems that have recently surfaced on and off the field.
Amid remarkable scenes, there was dressing-room fury with Didier Drogba as well as an inquest into tactics, morale and results. Scolari passionately stressed the importance of team spirit and he still has the players on his side as he attempts to win the Barclays Premier League and lift the European Cup in his first season in English football.
But key players singled out Drogba after he went public with his criticism of and Scolari’s decision to keep him on the bench when the striker returned from his ban for throwing a coin at Burnley fans during the Carling Cup defeat.
Drogba, who is likely to be fined by the club for his latest outburst, claimed Chelsea did nothing for him when his grandmother died in June, but one member of the squad told him he was ‘talking ********’ because Chelsea hired a ‘private jet to fly him to the Ivory Coast’.
Many squad members believe Drogba is one of the main causes of dressing room disharmony at the club and would prefer him to be sold in the January transfer window. Scolari and his coaching staff decided to address several issues following the disappointing 2-2 draw with Fulham on Sunday.
And, when the players returned to duty after Monday’s day off, the meeting quickly turned into a heated row. ‘Before we went to training, we had a good team meeting,’ said the boss.
‘Since Sunday I have had the chance to watch again the Fulham game and today with my players, we talked about all of that game before going out for a good training session.’
Although the Brazilian as admitted it has taken time for him to adjust to living and
working in a new country, he has not been helped by the attitude of some players.Despite second-placed Chelsea’s healthy League position, there are fears among
certain players that the Stamford Bridge success story is in danger of being undermined by dressing-room strife.Scolari is under huge pressure to deliver silverware, given the failure on all fronts of
his predecessor Avram Grant last season, but the hierarchy insist they are ‘100 per cent’ behind him.From the beginning, Scolari has tried to foster a fatherly relationship with his players and has maintained an open door policy. The club confirmed last night that the team meeting took place but insisted that Scolari’s position is not under threat. Chief executive Peter Kenyon believes the manager is being destabilised by certain individuals agitating for a move, but he is not prepared to sell them next month.
Destabilising: KenyonDrogba would have been sold last summer but no one was prepared to match the £30million valuation. The season began badly for him when he was sidelined with a knee injury. The first hint of problems with Scolari emerged when the striker wanted to return to France for treatment but the manager insisted that he should complete his rehabilitation under the supervision of staff at Cobham.
Scolari now turns his attention to Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to League One Southend. Brazilian defender Alex and winger Florent Malouda, both hamstring injury victims at Fulham, are doubtful.
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Who let the dog out??
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if chelsea continue to be destabilised, they can forget abt e premiership.