Luis Felipe Scolari tonight
defended his record as Chelsea manager - and insisted he was not given
enough time to make his mark at the club. Scolari, now in his second
spell as Brazil boss, returns to Stamford Bridge tomorrow night when his side tackle Fabio Capello's Russia in a friendly.
Chelsea were fourth in the Premier League and still in both the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League when Scolari was sacked in February 2009 after just seven months in the hot-seat. "I believe my time at Chelsea was not as bad as people have been talking about," Scolari said. "The numbers show that, the games we won. I don't think it was that bad."
Asked whether he was given enough time, Scolari added: "I don't think so but it was a decision from the management. Everywhere I work I am just a member of staff and if somebody thinks I am not doing a good job, they can sack me. That happens everywhere. I accept that. I did enjoy my time here at Chelsea and I was happy while I was here. It was one of the great experiences I have had in my life."
Scolari was sacked by Russian owner Roman Abramovich so the club could "maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for". Scolari could not answer whether he would have delivered those trophies.
I
believe what he wants here is to put the cherry on the top of the cake
by winning the game at the stadium where he was manager.
But Chelsea's Brazil defender David Luiz
said Scolari is still held in high regard at the club - and suggested
he could have a point to prove against Russia tomorrow. "Mr Scolari is
an excellent professional. He has been a coach in many clubs all over
the world and also national teams," Luiz said. "I'm sure he is happy to
come back here because regardless of what happened here he has very good
memories.
"He has got history here as well so I believe what he wants here is to put the cherry on the top of the cake by winning the game at the stadium where he was manager. When somebody doesn't do well everybody outside always talks about the negatives not positives. What I have heard, having asked around, is Scolari had a great time, regardless of what happened."
In many ways, Chelsea are in a worse position now than when Scolari left, having become the first defending champions to be eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League. The club are 19 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and it has been a winter of discontent at Stamford Bridge, with interim manager Rafael Benitez a hate figure with some supporters.
Luiz recognises it has been a winter of discontent but he is convinced Chelsea can rescue their season. "I think we are not playing at the level expected from Chelsea and not doing so well this season but in any case I believe we are because we are still competing for three titles," Luiz said. "We can still win the Europa League, are still in the FA Cup and fighting for a better position in the table so I think we can still get there and this season can still be very good."
Having won the FIFA World Cup™ with Brazil in 2002, Scolari opened his second spell as coach with a 2-1 to England and a 2-2 with Italy in Geneva last Thursday.
Chelsea were fourth in the Premier League and still in both the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League when Scolari was sacked in February 2009 after just seven months in the hot-seat. "I believe my time at Chelsea was not as bad as people have been talking about," Scolari said. "The numbers show that, the games we won. I don't think it was that bad."
Asked whether he was given enough time, Scolari added: "I don't think so but it was a decision from the management. Everywhere I work I am just a member of staff and if somebody thinks I am not doing a good job, they can sack me. That happens everywhere. I accept that. I did enjoy my time here at Chelsea and I was happy while I was here. It was one of the great experiences I have had in my life."
Scolari was sacked by Russian owner Roman Abramovich so the club could "maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for". Scolari could not answer whether he would have delivered those trophies.
I
believe what he wants here is to put the cherry on the top of the cake
by winning the game at the stadium where he was manager.
Brazil defender David Luiz on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's return to Stamford Bridge
"He has got history here as well so I believe what he wants here is to put the cherry on the top of the cake by winning the game at the stadium where he was manager. When somebody doesn't do well everybody outside always talks about the negatives not positives. What I have heard, having asked around, is Scolari had a great time, regardless of what happened."
In many ways, Chelsea are in a worse position now than when Scolari left, having become the first defending champions to be eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League. The club are 19 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and it has been a winter of discontent at Stamford Bridge, with interim manager Rafael Benitez a hate figure with some supporters.
Luiz recognises it has been a winter of discontent but he is convinced Chelsea can rescue their season. "I think we are not playing at the level expected from Chelsea and not doing so well this season but in any case I believe we are because we are still competing for three titles," Luiz said. "We can still win the Europa League, are still in the FA Cup and fighting for a better position in the table so I think we can still get there and this season can still be very good."
Having won the FIFA World Cup™ with Brazil in 2002, Scolari opened his second spell as coach with a 2-1 to England and a 2-2 with Italy in Geneva last Thursday.
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