World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked by Chelsea on Monday after only seven months of coaching at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian, who took the post in the summer, was axed within 48 hours after Chelsea's 0-0 home draw with Hull City left their Premier League title hopes in serious jeopardy.
The news came as a surprise to many although a poor run of performance has made Chelsea fans impatient with the 60-year-old, who led Brazil to the world cup glory in 2002.
"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club today with immediate effect," said a statement on the club's website
Combination photo shows Chelsea's manager Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea's match with Manchester on September 21, 2008. World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked by Chelsea on Monday after only seven months of coaching at Stamford Bridge.
"The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager. 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.
"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."
Chelsea have started searching for a new manager and assistant coach Ray Wilkins will "take charge of the team on a temporary basis".
Scolari's agent Acaz Fellegger revealed that it was the club owner Roman Abramovich's decision to get rid of the Brazilian.
"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."
Scolari was the fourth consecutive casualty under Abramovich's regime with Claudio Ranieri the first to leave since the Russian millionaire arrived in 2003.
But the sacking of the former Portugal's coach could be costly for Chelsea. The club could pay as much as 15 million pounds in compensation with his unfinished three-year contract understood to be worth 6.25 million a year.
In a statement via Fellegger, Scolari expressed regrets of not having longer time in the club and confirmed that he would soon be talking to the media.
"It was a very valuable experience," he said, "I'm sorry that it has not been a longer-lasting relationship. I wish Chelsea luck in the three competitions in which they are taking part."
"I also take this opportunity to confirm that I will keep living in London and I will respond to the media soon."
Scolari came to Stanford Bridge following a six-year successful spell in charge of Portugal, who he led to the final of Euro 2004 and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup.
He enjoyed an impressive start with six wins and two draws from his first eight league games. But results, and their home form in particular, became deteriorating.
Having dropped 16 points at Stamford Bridge this season, Chelsea are now fourth in the league, seven points behind leaders Manchester United.
Scolari is the eighth Premier League manager to leave this season after Tony Adams was dismissed from Portsmouth earlier on Monday.
高三英语备考总复习课件人教版选修6:写作进行时-说明文 19张
2017届高考英语二轮复习课件 第8讲:助动词和特殊句式(湖南专用)人教新课标版
高三英语备考总复习人教版必修1:Unit 5《Nelson Mandela—a modern hero》课件83张
食虫餐具问世 吃虫子或有助解决食物短缺难题(组图)[1]
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第394讲 keep your shirt on素材
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第391讲 take the bull by horn素材
国际英语资讯:World Bank says policy uncertainty weighs on trade growth
高三英语备考总复习课件人教版:专项语法12-名词性从句 98张
国内英语资讯: Political advisors proposals receive timely feedback
2017届高考英语二轮复习课件 第1讲:理解主旨要义(湖南专用)人教新课标版
高三英语备考总复习课件人教版:专项语法9-非谓语动词 117张
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第392讲 put one s house in or素材
小学升初中英文自我介绍范文
国际英语资讯:Ecuador presidential candidate calls for calm while waiting for results
国际英语资讯:UN Security Council pays tribute to late Russian UN Ambassador Churkin
2017届高考英语二轮复习课件 第10讲:词汇辨析(湖南专用)人教新课标版
高三英语备考总复习课件人教版:专项语法15-特殊句式 99张
高三英语备考总复习人教版必修3:Unit 4《 Astronomy the science of the stars》课件67张
中国与法国将实现“驾驶证互认换领”
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第406 landslide素材
2017届高考英语二轮复习课件 第16讲:判断词性、词义和词形1(湖南专用)人教新课标版
2017届高考英语二轮复习考点讲义:阅读理解-个人情况与人际关系
2017届高考英语二轮复习考点讲义:阅读理解-地理
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第419 drawing card素材
高中VOA英语—美国习惯用语讲座(doc版) 第416 loaded dice素材
科学家或将改造人类基因以治疗遗传病
国际英语资讯:Germany announces plan to expand national army
高三英语备考总复习课件人教版必修5:写作进行时-提纲作文 29张
高三英语备考总复习人教版必修4:Unit 5《Theme parks》课件68张
国内英语资讯: UN honors Chinese peacekeeping force in Liberia