Welcome Big Phil to the Bridge

“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm that Luiz Felipe Scolari will be the club’s new manager from July 1, 2008." is what the official website announced and I'm more than happy. I had wrote here when Grant was sacked that I would like Hiddink or Scolari as the next manager and I'm happy that Roman has picked Big Phil. Scolari is currently with Portugal and Portugal have already qualified for the quarter finals of Euro'08.

"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." And I agree, like all Blue fans with every word from this statement by the official site. The Official site also added that there would be no further comment officially, considering the fact that Scolari's current assignment shouldn't be disrupted.

The word is that Fabio Capello had recommended Scolari to Roman Abramovich. The timing of the announcement seems awkward, but I think its with the transfer window in mind. It would be better if the transfer targets know who's at the helm sooner that later. After seeing Portugal's first two matches, I'm more convinced that Scolari is the right choice. He might be able to 'advice' Ronaldo to Madrid and also bring some Portuguese players to Chelsea. I would be happy if its Quaresma and not Deco for obvious reasons.

Roman wanted a disciplinarian manager who would also discuss team matters and selection with him. Scolari has a reputation as a "father" and big friend to his players and is hence known as 'Big Phil'. In short he is passionate, involved and victorious – all the qualities that we require in our manager. The appointment, which was kept as a secret, came as a shock to everyone. But wasn't in obvious with Roman in Switzerland and Frank Arnesen, Chelsea's chief scout, and Piet de Visser, Roman's adviser, watching the Portugal-Czech match from the stands.

Scolari is a simple man who is straight forward and plays more upon the heart of his players than their brains. At 59, Scolari has not been in club management for seven years and also hasn't got much experience in the Champions League. So Scolari has something to prove at Chelsea and that in itself will be a motivation for the great man. He never gave up when his effigies were burned throughout Brazil since he didn't include Romario in his World Cup plans and then went on to win the ultimate prize. So I'm off to get a copy of Sun Tzu's The Art of War from Amazon, whose copy the Chelsea players will have soon I guess.