SOCCER:LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI was last night named by Chelsea as their new manager, on a four-year contract worth €34m, putting to an end the club's pan-European hunt for Avram Grant's successor.
The 59-year-old Portugal manager, who is on duty here at the European Championship will take up the reins on July 1st. He has stressed that Portugal has his full focus and he is determined to leave them with the first major trophy in their history. But thereafter, a new chapter will begin for him, with a return to club football in one of the biggest jobs in the game.
Scolari has been on the international scene since 2001; first with his native Brazil, whom he guided to glory at the 2002 World Cup, and then with Portugal. His contract, though, expires after this championship and it has become increasingly clear that not only would he not sign another one but he would be heading for Stamford Bridge.
On the eve of the tournament last Friday, he made it clear that he was receptive to an approach from Chelsea and that while he would not allow anything to deflect him from his sense of purpose, he would be prepared to listen and even agree a deal during these finals.
That has happened. Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's billionaire owner, was in Geneva for the Portugal-Czech Republic game and after he left, the club released a statement in which they declared themselves to be "delighted" at the relatively swift, if hardly seamless, hunt for Grant's successor. The Israeli was removed on Saturday, May 24th.
"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."
Chelsea have learned the lessons from the failed experiment with Grant, who might have gone tantalisingly close to winning the Champions League and maintained a strong challenge for the Premier League title, but who lacked the personality and standing in the game to continue long-term as the figurehead of the club.
Abramovich demanded that his new man be able to instil discipline in the dressing-room and imbue the club with dignity. How Chelsea are perceived is important to Abramovich. He had to have a proven track record at a significant level, which Scolari certainly has and, moreover, be able to establish a positive relationship with Abramovich.
Scolari said with a smile on Friday that he understood American English but struggled with the true English accent and preferred to answer via an interpreter. That will change as he steps up his language lessons.
Abramovich had considered the candidature of Carlo Ancelotti, the Milan manager, but when the latter made it clear he wanted to remain at San Siro the way was opened for Scolari.
