Premier League - Chelsea must stand by Scolari

Eurosport - Wed, 14 Jan 07:54:00 2009

Sackings in the Premier League have become so common that they rarely have the capacity to surprise any more.

2008-2009 Manchester United-Chelsea Luiz Felipe Scolari - 0

The basic rule of thumb seems to be 'two bad months and you're out' - as Juande Ramos and Paul Ince have found to their cost this season.

We may soon find out whether the same logic applies to as illustrious a manager as Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Since beating West Brom 3-0 on November 15, Scolari's Chelsea have won two Premier League games out of eight, picking up 10 points from a possible 24.

Saturday's 3-0 humbling at Old Trafford completed two bad months that have seen them slip from odds-on title favourites to England's latest 'crisis club' - and put Scolari's job in real danger.

It didn't help that Jose Mourinho - the man still worshipped at Stamford Bridge for bringing glory to Chelsea - sat in the stands as 'his' side slumped to defeat.

Rumblings of discontent have found their way from the dressing room to the back pages of the tabloids, but is it any surprise? Chelsea are not losing because they are unhappy; they are unhappy because they are losing.

Scolari has not attempted to disguise his concern at Chelsea's lacklustre form, particularly at home, but they are still in title contention with 42 points from 21 games.

That is two less than they had at the same point last season, five less than in the 2006-07 title-winning season. Not ideal, but hardly a crisis.

And they still have one of the finest managers in the world at the helm. Scolari is still the same man who took Brazil - relative outsiders at the time - to World Cup glory in 2002.

The same man who made Portugal genuine contenders on the international stage, and whose appointment was announced in a fanfare of triumphalism after he eluded England and Manchester City.

The pursuit of Scolari meant Avram Grant was axed despite Chelsea reaching two cup finals and finishing second in the Premier League. The least they can do is give the new man some time.

Chelsea must realise winning is not so easy now Roman Abramovich has tightened his purse-strings.

They made minor changes over the summer, signing Deco and Jose Bosingwa - a central midfielder they probably didn't need and a full-back.

Meanwhile, Manchester United added a £30 million striker to their championship-winning squad, and recently splashed another £17m on two young Serbians.

Chelsea cannot simply spend their way to success as they did in the early days of Abramovich, when Mourinho signed Ricardo Carvalho, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien at exorbitant cost and won back-to-back titles.

Sunday's performance at Old Trafford was dismal - but no more dismal than United when they lost 5-0 to Chelsea in October 1999, just five months after completing their famous treble.

That United side bounced back and won their Premiership title by a cool 18 points. The point is, good teams can play badly.

If anything. Scolari's mistake is to admit he is at a loss to identify what Chelsea's problem is - merely that he knows: "I need to change the system or something more."

He does not appear to control his destiny in the same way as Mourinho, but even for the Special One that is a myth.

There is too much luck, too much complexity and too many outside factors for managers to exert the control we want.

That is the nature of the game. The best managers get things wrong, and solutions sometimes present themselves by chance.

Ryan Giggs was never meant to be a central midfielder - he just played there out of necessity and happened to be rather good.

Ferguson deserves credit for noticing this and using it to prolong Giggs's career. But he did not control his circumstances, he just made the best of them.

Scolari deserves a chance to find a solution to Chelsea's problems. Whether it is through inspiration, hard work or plain luck, his track record suggests he will get it right in the end.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 28 - 47 of 47

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  1. i think phil scolari's track record speaks volumes for what hes achieved ,he might be under pressure at mo ,but that dont make him a bad manager !! not a chelsea fan but i dont see how anyone can say he has no idea !!go back to sleep all u idiots that woke up to slag a great man off ...scum !

    From kevin, on Wed 14 Jan 2:47PM

  2. Bring back Mouriniho.

    Sorry Scolari but the players at Chelsea are not theBrazilian squad or the Portugese squad theyare a mixture of the United Nations and do not possess the same skills. Please play them as the team that Mouriniho had and you might just beat Southend and even Fulham, West Ham.

    From webisan1, on Wed 14 Jan 2:28PM

  3. No, the downfall was when they sacked Avram. Reaching the CL finals and finishing tight second was not enough. Well, there you go. I hope being 4th or 5th is better. Greedy Russian mafiosi

    From Half A Brain, on Wed 14 Jan 10:45AM

  4. well lets face the plain truth,chelsea's downfall started the day they stupidly sacked mourinho,he was simply a great manager,yes he wanted to do things his way,which is what everym manager should,he wouldn't be a yes man to kenyon,who i honestly believe is the main reason for the demise of chelses,man.utd was pleased to off load him,and have done a lot better without him.chelsea should sack kenyon,he really is useless,and wants every manager to be a yes man to him,which is why grant got the job,and now not so big phil,so come on amrovich,if you care for chelsea,sack kenyon,and bring back mourinho at any cost,it will be well worth it.

    From , on Wed 14 Jan 8:32AM

  5. I would just ehh like to say a very ehh big thank you to all my ehh supporters
    I promise all my ehh chelsea faithful that we ehh finish in top ehh half ehh
    of table in my ehh first successful season with this geat histrionic ehh club.
    I am ehh very sorry for 3-0 defeat to ehh team from north but could have been ehh worse
    we could have ehh had flat wheel on home ehh returning
    Love big ehhPhil Scolari

    From Nicholas, on Wed 14 Jan 12:55AM

  6. Good comments by all, Jose should never have been ran out of chelsea, Bosingwa is quality..i think he has just had a couple of poor games of late, Clarkey should never have been allowed to go, Scolari has not become a bad manager overnight, I agree that he needs to adapt his tactics at times, maybe play Di santo with Anelka? I have been a staunch supporter of Drog even when he has been criticised but even i cant defend him anymore..he is totally dis-interested in chelsea now--time to get rid. I am worried, where are tomorrows stars?? I only see Scott Sinclair and Michael Mancienne and they have not even been tried out. My final rant is that Kenyon could not be worse for chelsea...I wish he would clear off, he is an embarassment! I thank you...come on the chels

    From boozola25, on Tue 13 Jan 11:22PM

  7. I think the silly thing about Chelsea is sacking their manager at the slightest provocation. Scolari remains a world-class manager and as such should be given ample time to get settled at Chelsea. Most managers that are churning out results have equally gone through thick and thin at one time or the other in their carriers. moreso, Scolari is just beginning to get aclamatised to English football and as such may need some time to get himself fully rooted in The Premier league. However, Chelsea's recent lack lustre performance should be blamed on the players,some of who have been playing in the Premiership and know its nitty gritty. they should work for their pay: "To whom much is given, much is expected", they should show great committment and enthuisiasm so that they can keep banging in goals. Above all, Abramhovic should learn to know that there's only little as to what money can do in football and as such, should learn to give manager enough room to operate, This I believe will bring about the much desired results.

    From akinwale d, on Tue 13 Jan 10:40PM

  8. #37, the 2points difference you talk about is as if chelsea is in serious contention, but fact is its not. i do support chelsea, but their form as a big team is bad n should be condemned, Big Phil is a tactician, but...in Brazilian flare, EPL is a different animal... of course chelsea needs stability in management...and it is Mourinho who needed to have been given a chance coz he brought glory to the club...

    From Donah, on Tue 13 Jan 8:11PM

  9. This is the best article i have read in a long while, it is not about the destination but the journey itself, Scolari can and will deliver with time, understanding the dynamics of the EPL is a process especially the mind games, The players just need to believe in themselves again and not everyone starting to blame the coach cos that is what everybody seems to enjoy these days.

    From afotuma, on Tue 13 Jan 7:45PM

  10. OM JASZTE SAYAN YAR MON AS A WENKAR

    From dannysbac, on Tue 13 Jan 7:00PM

  11. dannysbac,SO ARE YOU!

    From avalanchemotorco, on Tue 13 Jan 6:58PM

  12. im not a chelsea fan.. however.. people forget that chelsea are second in the league.. what is it two points behind liverpool? something like that. they are still high contenders in the league and with a manager like phill scolari in charge of things.. dare i say it.. they could possibly win the league. for one i think liverpool dont have enough stamina to make it all the way this season ( although it would be nice to see em win). the only team who i think will be the real team for chelsea to watch out for is united. despite the incredibly embarrassing loss at untied, chelsea should feel a real chance to go for glory, and rightly so. chelsea have a quality team, with quality players. and malouda is lussshhh! he just doesnt get played lmao! my only concern is why scolari wont play drogba and anelka together.. at the end of the day, you would expect proffessionals to try to work together and find a solution. **** what an essay!

    From oalderson, on Tue 13 Jan 6:58PM

  13. WHAT'S UP WITH - GAT RAD AF AM HES A PORTUGESE WONKAR

    From , on Tue 13 Jan 6:50PM

  14. GAT RAD AF AM HES A PORTUGUESE WONKAR

    From dannysbac, on Tue 13 Jan 6:32PM

  15. GAT RAD AF AM HES A PORTUGUESE WONKAR

    From dannysbac, on Tue 13 Jan 6:32PM

  16. GAT RAD AF AM HES A PORTUGUESE WONKAR

    From dannysbac, on Tue 13 Jan 6:32PM

  17. GAT RAD AF AM HES A PORTUGUESE WONKAR

    From dannysbac, on Tue 13 Jan 6:32PM

  18. this isn't brazil or portugal. scolari should use tactics that suit the players he has, not trying to make the players suit his tactics. great coach but not for chelsea.
    they look disunited, dispirited and unfit. anelka is too disruptive lazy and not a team player. malouda is useless. bring back mourinho ( i dream of course)

    From Vivi, on Tue 13 Jan 6:24PM

  19. over payed without brains and full of it, thats why they now feel they only need to turn up for all the fans to love them.
    the so called fans are also brain dead to pay to see there premadonas fall over and cry foul at every chance.

    football is no longer a game for men

    From Jane B, on Tue 13 Jan 6:08PM

  20. lets all laugh at chelski as they return to the role of second best team in west london behind fulham and the fans start following fulham and qpr again..glory hunters they are

    From andy, on Tue 13 Jan 5:57PM
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