Scolari sacked as Chelsea manager

Chelsea have sensationally sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
The club's website revealed the dramatic move had been made "to
maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for".
World Cup winner Scolari had only been in the job since June 2008, when he became Chelsea's third boss in a year.
Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League but remain in the
Champions League and FA Cup, with Ray Wilkins in charge until a
successor is appointed.
"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club with immediate effect," read the statement.
"The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager."
Scolari signed a lucrative three-year deal when he joined
Chelsea and the London club could face a hefty compensation pay-out to
their former manager.
Scolari's spokesman Acaz Felleger said it was Chelsea owner
Roman Abramovich who had run out of patience with the Brazilian coach.
"It seems that Abramovich made the decision," Felleger told Lance newspaper's website.
"Scolari was not in a comfortable situation despite having the support of the squad and Peter Kenyon."
Felleger added that Scolari had paid the price for not being given the backing to refresh the aging Chelsea squad.
"The Chelsea squad are old. Felipe tried to rejuvenate it, but
unsuccessfully. He asked (the board) to sign Deco and Robinho, but they
only brought Deco."
Scolari indicated he would give his version of events in the near future.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked for Chelsea and in English football," Scolari said.
"It was a very valuable experience. I am sorry that my time with
everyone could not last longer. I wish Chelsea luck in the three
competitions they are participating in.
"I want to take the opportunity to inform that I will keep living in London. I will respond to the media soon."
Scolari's former team travel to Watford in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.
The tie at Vicarage Road is the start of a vital 11 days for
Chelsea, with a crucial Premier League clash with third-placed Aston
Villa on 21 February, followed by the visit of Juventus to Stamford
Bridge in the Champions League four days later.
Chelsea's official statement indicated that the club were eager to get a new man in charge for that run of games.
"Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and
we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so
soon," read the statement.
"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season.
"In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still
competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now.
"The search for a new manager has already started and we hope to have someone in place as soon as possible."
Scolari won the World Cup as manager of his home country,
Brazil, in 2002. He arrived at Chelsea following a six-year spell in
charge of Portugal, who he led to the final of Euro 2004 and the
semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup.
The 60-year-old made an impressive start but results
deteriorated and of his 36 games in charge, 20 were won, five lost and
11 drawn.
Chelsea, who were unbeaten in the league at home for 86 matches
until Liverpool's 1-0 win in October 2008, have lost two home league
matches and drawn on five occasions this season, and were knocked out
of the Carling Cup by Burnley on penalties.















Their record against the so-called big four this season is poor -
they drew 1-1 at home with Manchester United and lost 3-0 away, were
beaten 2-1 at home by Arsenal, and home and away by Liverpool.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been at the helm at Old
Trafford since 1986, said he felt a large degree of sympathy for
Scolari.
"It is a sign of the times," Ferguson told MUTV.
"There is absolutely no patience in the world now. There was
great expectation at Chelsea that they were going to do well this year
- and it is only this last month they have had a bad spell.
"The judgment really is only on the last month."
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has now overseen the departure of four managers since his arrival in 2003.