Premier League - Chelsea sack Scolari

Eurosport - Tue, 10 Feb 09:03:00 2009

Chelsea have sensationally sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari after just seven months in charge.

2008-2009 Chelsea Luiz Felipe Scolari - 0

The 59-year-old Brazilian arrived in West London last July, but the club's poor form and rumours of discontent in the dressing room have seen his position undermined.

Chelsea's results at home have been particularly disappointing, winning just six of 13 games at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Saturday's goalless draw at home to Hull City saw them slip to fourth in the table, seven points behind leaders Manchester United.

Nevertheless the dismissal of Scolari, who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and reached the Euro 2004 final with Portugal, comes as a major shock.

Chelsea have reached the last 16 of the Champions League where they face a Juventus side managed by former Stamford Bridge boss Claudio Ranieri, and they are still in the FA Cup.

Scolari started brightly with six wins and two draws from his first eight league games and they led the table most weeks until the middle of November.

However, Liverpool won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on October 26 to end Chelsea's 86-match unbeaten home league run and their home form, in particular, began to dip alarmingly with another loss to Arsenal at the end of November and a series of poor draws.

Scolari's substitutions were also questioned by fans, who taunted him on Saturday with cries of "you don't know what you're doing".

The club, who won back-to-back titles under Jose Mourinho in 2005 and 2006 and were beaten on penalties in last season's Champions League final by Manchester United, slipped further back in the title race when they were beaten 3-0 by United and 2-0 by Liverpool recently.

Scolari's assistant Ray Wilkins takes temporary charge of the first-team, but one of the favourites to take over permanently is West Ham manager and former Blues legend Gianfranco Zola, who has been voted the greatest player the club's history.

Russia manager Guus Hiddink and Avram Grant - the man sacked by Chelsea last May after reaching the Champions League final - are also believed to be on the shortlist.

A club statement said: "The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager.

"Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon.

"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season.

"In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now.

"The search for a new manager has already started and we hope to have someone in place as soon as possible."

Alex Chick + agencies / Eurosport

Comment 1114 - 1133 of 1133

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  1. If you plan to win any cup in Europe, you have to be­ able to beat ManU at least twice, and it is not the­ coach who will do that, but the players.so get your­ gears together blues and get out there and go play some­ ball.Give your managers time to do their job and stop­ this craziness of firing them, Sir Alex Ferguson became­ ManU's manager in 1986 and till 1990 when they won­ the FA cup 1:0 against Crytal Palace, they got nothing,­ and he didnt get fired, he stayed, and he's been­ there till now, and am talking 22years, and will be 23­ in November if he's still there, and we can all see­ what he's gone for the RED....in short the managers­ need time to work, I mean you can't fire someone­ after 224days at work common, am I the only one pissed?

    From Egbon, on Wed 11 Feb 9:20AM
  2. I don't understand why people keep blaming Scolari­ for Chelsea's downfall, well mabe you expect the­ coach to get on the field and go play. if there is­ someone to blame, I think it's the players.JT for­ example right now got 2 coaches fired. He missed a­ penalty in moscow and another terrible miss against­ Hull city. What about Drogba, did u even watch him­ against the reds?he was awful, and what is paining me­ mos is the fact that these so called players are­ receiving some ridiculous amount of money...for what? I­ think if any coach needs to be sack, it should be­ Wenger, he is cracking....The blues need to hang on to­ theis coach if they plan to win anything. you can't­ go on firing your coach anytime he looses or performs­ bad.

    From Egbon, on Wed 11 Feb 9:01AM
  3. I really don't think that Chelsea's recent­ performance was caused by Scolari alone, although any­ sacrifice that is necessary to return the club to its­ original status should be done. The world should await­ a Chelsea come-back soon.
    Julian Ukoha.

    From DivaBaby26, on Tue 10 Feb 4:26PM
  4. Me big heap Chelsea fan. Get behind Ballack and Mikel­ and Kalou. Them all heap big wages.John Terry looks cra­ pwithout Carvalho beside him, just as he does for­ England. Been found out finally....and he's a poo­ poo head

    From Loz, on Tue 10 Feb 4:21PM
  5. This is saddening...the guy to go is Peter Kenyon for­ overstaying and bootlicking
    his russian billionaire.­ the coaches are good..the management? typically­ russian.
    why dont some yankies takeover this hapless­ club and end its "BLUES"

    BEL ZAMBIA

    From Brian, on Tue 10 Feb 3:37PM
  6. Maurinho should not be brought back to Chelsea - not at­ a time when there's a credit crunch. He was great­ when he came because he bought ready-made good players.­ Scolari could not even secure the purchase of Robinho.­ The current set of players have gone downhill after a­ few good seasons and need to be replaced and that's­ where Maurinho will now feel frustrated just as he did­ in his final season with Chelsea when he could not­ bring in fresh players. What Chelsea need most now is a­ manager who could man manage players even if they are­ of average quality. Martin O Neil comes to mind­ although this is no disrespect to Aston Villa.

    From cokrowinoto, on Tue 10 Feb 2:13PM
  7. Chelsea and all chelsea fans and managers are­ confused!!!!!!!. No be coach or jersey dey play ball.­ wise up you all. Man U is the team to beat.

    Jide­ Modebe

    From jideoform, on Tue 10 Feb 2:12PM
  8. Chelseas owner doesent know his ?SS from his russian­ mouth..get rid of him then the problem will be solved..

    From vlf126, on Tue 10 Feb 1:22PM
  9. Gee whizz...whats goin on...y cant they give the­ manager time...Rome wasnt built in a day­ Chelsea.....thank god im no manager, if i was, i­ wouldnt take that job for all the tea in­ China....Dave.......... Scotland

    From dundeecabbie, on Tue 10 Feb 12:55PM
  10. The next Chelsea manager wears glasses. He's about­­ 57 years old. He'll bring at least two fantastic­­ young players, a striker and a lad who can play as a­­ winger or second striker. Apparently he had links with­­ Shepshed Charterhouse and Wycombe Wanderers in the­­ past. He currently works in Birmingham. It is not­ known­ if he speaks French, Spanish or Portuguese yet.­ A £45m­ offer will make him available to Chelsea.
    Just­ to talk­ about something else, do you really believe­ that Aston­ Villa current manager will get them into­ the­ Champion's League? I don't believe that.

    From ntumba k, on Tue 10 Feb 12:41PM
  11. Money can buy everything. He got lots of money and he­ can sack any manager whenever he likes.

    From Al Nell, on Tue 10 Feb 11:59AM
  12. Roman sell Chelsea For god sake­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From nic.newton10, on Tue 10 Feb 11:56AM
  13. Come'on chelsea, dont play with the money by­ changing managers, play the people which u got - to win­ the game.....

    From vignesh v, on Tue 10 Feb 11:30AM
  14. What about Pele or Maradona perhaps?

    From Dave M, on Tue 10 Feb 11:15AM
  15. up blues for live. U are joking! Sorry o. All blue fans­ endure. There is nothing wrong with going­ trophyless......Dozie Agu

    From aguchidozie, on Tue 10 Feb 10:46AM
  16. the biggest mistake chelsea did was let steve clarke go­ to west ham ,, he was good with the players and was­ chelsea total , but again they let them go ,,, you­ should be getting rid of kenyon he is the c r a p ­ in chelsea , but to sack another manager says alot for­ the club so who next ,,,,, mourinho would never go back­ he is lined up for the big club in prem manu as thats­ who fergie wants to replace him , he dont take the­ childish play from the players and mourinho is the same­ ,,, i think the players also our to blame ,,,, ah well­ good bye chelsea ,,,,

    From Chris, on Tue 10 Feb 10:27AM
  17. Get jose mourinho the (protaghonist) back 2 his former­ & orignal position, after he has bein sacked.

    From SanusiS, on Tue 10 Feb 10:22AM
  18. He was too honest for his own good. He has said his­ team were not good enough to win the league and many­ players were not performing. You don't say things­ like this in front of camera if you are supposed to be­ a major player. O.K. if you manage West­ Brom/Middlesbrough/Sunderland/Spurs etc
    The question­ now is how long before Abramovic walks away and­ bankrupts the club, not long I reckon and to be honest,­ this needs to happen.

    From kestephenson, on Tue 10 Feb 10:20AM
  19. I get it, its invalid if you say get bac k to w here­ you b e l on g.

    Its not racist Yahoo, saying Chelsea­ should re tu rn to 6th place in the prem, their­ rightful p l ace in life.

    From Loz, on Tue 10 Feb 10:13AM
  20. If Rafa'd been sacked, i'd dig, but Scolari the­ great! Sack him without giving him chance to correct­ things!? I wonder how the mood is in dressing room,­ perhaps it'll spill out to the games...

    From paul b, on Tue 10 Feb 10:12AM
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