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Time has run out for fumbling Big Phil
Simon Johnson9 Feb 2009
Chelsea supporters finally lost patience with manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and the Brazilian must have been wondering how long before the club's board showed him the door.
His sacking showed that Chelsea were unhappy despite being in the Champions League knock-out stages but just fourth in the Premier League – failure in the eyes of the Blues faithful.
Jose Mourinho left behind a special legacy when he was sacked in September 2007, but Scolari was even being outshone by Avram Grant's brief spell in charge. It was 11 months ago that Grant became the first recipient of the you don't know what you're doing' chant at Stamford Bridge.
Just as Scolari experienced against Hull at the weekend, the outcry came when Grant made a substitution in the second half, but his changes that day helped Chelsea come from behind to beat Arsenal.
They also went on to take the title race to the final game of the season and were within the width of a post from winning the Champions League.
The turnaround ensured he won over the majority of the crowd by the end of the campaign, although it was not enough to keep his job. So Scolari must have been even more concerned because, in contrast, his substitution to try and stop his side toiling against Hull failed to silence the doubters.
His decision on Saturday to replace winger Ricardo Quaresma for Didier Drogba only succeeded in making Chelsea even more ineffective and they took their tally of points dropped at home this term to 16.
Thoughts of repeating Grant's achievement and reaching the final of Europe's premier club competition also appears the stuff of fantasy.
Chelsea were playing so poorly under the former Portugal coach that a top- four finish and qualification for the tournament next season is severely under threat, something which the cash-strapped club can ill afford to miss out on.
The hierarchy were forced to make changes, and the next four weeks will now decide their season — the Blues face Watford in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, then third-placed Aston Villa in the Premier League before taking on Juventus in the Champions League.
When Chelsea lost to Manchester United in humiliating fashion one month ago, Scolari was reassured he had the rest of the season to prove himself as the club were still regarded to be in contention for three competitions. Defeat in all three games finally ended the boardroom backing, as well as their hopes of winning a trophy this season, to an end.
The fall-out with Mourinho was caused by his supposed failure to marry attractive football with the five major trophies he won in his three full seasons at the club.
It is no wonder Chelsea supporters are starting to express their frustration as not only are the results a lot worse, but so is the quality of football.
Gone is the team's belief, the determination to fight to the last minute, the refusal to be beaten — an air of resignation and failure has taken their place.
According to captain John Terry the players are to blame. He said: “We are the ones going out there and not doing what we should be doing.
“When we are having one shot on target in the second half and one or two in the first it's not good enough, it's not going to beat any team.
“We are not working hard enough for each other and it needs to change rapidly otherwise we will be in trouble.”
While Terry should be applauded for wanting to take responsibility, the finger of blame always gets pointed toward the man in charge. After all, this is virtually the same team that were almost crowned European champions last May and they are unrecognisable from the side that fought for 120 minutes against Manchester United in Moscow.
Michael Ballack looks lethargic, Didier Drogba (below) appears to be just biding his time before the summer transfer window opens and even Terry has lost some of his previously unbreakable self-belief.
It was Scolari's job to get the best out of his players and come up with new tactics to counter stubborn opposition defences.
Plan A worked well for the first two months of the campaign, however there has been no sign of anything new since Liverpool became the first side to master it back in October. Like his predecessor Grant, Scolari ran out of time to turn his relationship with the supporters around.
Now it is down to Wilkins to keep the club on track.
Reader views (12)
Quick get Avram back before Portsmouth get him....
- Voiceofreason, London, 09/02/2009 16:00
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The common demominator in Chelsea's success is Steve Clarke - how else do you explain the clue less Grant's success at Chelsea. As soon as Clarkie ducked out to the Hammers Chelsea have gone down the pan. Big Phil aint got a clue. Bring make Mourinho by all means but Steve Clarke is the real key!!
- Ktrim, alton, 09/02/2009 15:58
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Their are no excuses. This squad is not the one that Scolari would want to play his Brazilian style. There in lies the problem. It appears along with Wenger he only knows one way to play. It has worked for him at international level and in Brazil. But the Epl is a war of attrition, Mourinho knew that.Great managers adapt their methods to suit the situation. Look at Utd at the moment loads of exciting players grinding out 1-0 wins through dicipline. Fans of other clubs expecting our demise are just indulging in wishful thinking. The Club had to stop being taken to the cleaners on transfer fees. The economy of clubs throughout Europe is going to crash when the fans are not able to pay to watch on tv or live. Players will be available for a lot less and over the top wages will be a thing of the past. Buying players now is about as sensible as buying a house.
- Ben, London England, 09/02/2009 14:21
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bruce buck , peter kenyon hang your heads in shame you are destroying this club both of you go now and take scolari with you and roman and his lackey's
- Stu, woking surrey, 09/02/2009 13:22
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how do you know Chelsea are a 'cash-strapped club'? Sure there was no spending in January but nearly £50m was spent in 2008 and a further £24 would have gone on Ribeenio. Roman will allow £50m to be spent in the close season but only on specific, younger players, not another quick fix? Quaresma may turn out to be a smart option but surgery is required elsewhere.
- Peter Bench, London, 09/02/2009 13:12
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It's all very well JT saying the players are to blame, but I bet none of them would take a cut in their wages for their poor displays.
- Br, Burnham on Sea, 09/02/2009 13:00
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Good stuff.
The problem is that Scolari is clueless! Give him till eternity and he'll still not deliver!
He has a wrong set of players for the system he think he want to play. And when he seems to have a player that can give him the width his 'style' demands, he was exposed as tactless by his team list and substitution. If you are going to have a player supply crosses from the wide, you need players to attack the ball and use the crosses (Drog.).
Granted, Anelka delivered some goals this season before the other coaches wise up to the clueless gaffer, ever since other coaches realise the tactical inabilities of Scolari, the goals have dried up. What to do - match Chelsea's narrow midfield with grit, belief in yourself - and Chelsea becomes a practising, ball holding group of directionless superbrats!
And why does it seems Scolari has no character? Yes for a while Deco was not playing well, but on current form he's much better than a battling, all brawn Ballack. And the coach continue to play him! At a time it was fashionable for him to always sub Mikel! Complain about a player, or a player makes a mistake, and he's out. Me think a coach should stick with what he believes in, and use player on current form ( be less rash in dealing with situation) rather than playing save!
In recent times Chelsea has played more games with single digit attempts at goal. This is pathetic!
Before the Wilkins remind us all of Scolari's record - He was a failure in Portugal wih those players!
- Bunmi Wemimo, Nigeria, 09/02/2009 13:00
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As I have said before, . . . Chelsea will win no silverware, 5th place finish in the league, Scolari will be fired, the money will go (has gone?) and so will the fans. Morhino will never come back because he only goes to clubs with unlimited budgets, like Man City, Real Madrid, etc. It's over for Chelsea. Prepare for a long slow decline to the bowels of the league table.
- Kb, London, 09/02/2009 12:47
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It is a difficult one to judge, yes Scolari seems limited tactically, but when you look at the current squad it does lack in its diversity of player, and this maybe why substitutions are not having the desired impact. Part of me still feels Scolari deserves the chance to assemble his own squad this summer, and give it a go next season. But he must finish in the top four, even with current squad limitations there can be no excuse for failing to achieve that.
- Richard Moseley, budapest, hungary, 09/02/2009 11:37
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Interesting that you point out the 'The hierarchy would not be foolish enough to make any changes now'.......why such faith?
They got rid of the best manager the club have ever had and then compounded the error by losing Clarkey to West Ham.
Top stuff chaps.
- Les, woking,surrey, 09/02/2009 11:30
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Couldnt have put it better myself
We are Season ticket holders and everyone is saying the same Stop beating yourself up JT very commendable but totally unjust - it is the clueless Scolari that should come and face the press and the fans. BRING BACK JOSE
- Sue Smith, chichester, 09/02/2009 11:28
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£50 a match to watch that dross. Better entertainment on Hackney Marshes.
- James, London, 09/02/2009 11:15
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