Chelsea
Scolari NOT Under Player Mutiny at the Bridge
BIG PHIL
By dixon9
December 17 2008
Increasing sections of the media are reporting that Luiz Felipe Scolari is facing player unrest and a “growing challenge to his authority” from the Chelsea squad over player substitutions and the intensity of training. Many of these reports appear to spawn off an article in The Times by Matt Hughes entitled “Luiz Felipe Scolari put to the test by Chelsea player unrest.”
Hughes alleges in his article that:
(1) “…the Chelsea manager was asked to explain his substitutions by several senior players after the 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United.”
(2) “…players have a genuine fondness for Scolari as a man, but there are increasing concerns over certain aspects of his management.”
(3) “…several players demanded to know in a dressing-room meeting why Michael Ballack was replaced at half-time rather than the underperforming Deco, who stayed on for the entire 90 minutes. . (4) “…It is understood that in the aftermath of last month’s 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal, several players asked sarcastically whether Scolari was aware that Chelsea were chasing the game rather than attempting to hold on, because they were unimpressed by his decision to bring on the inconsistent Florent Malouda and inexperienced Miroslav Stoch for John Obi Mikel and Deco.”. (5) “…John Terry and Frank Lampard went to see the manager a fortnight ago to ask if the intensity of training sessions could be increased.”. (6) “…a complaint muttered in private concerns alleged preferential treatment of Deco, who has remained in the side despite contributing little since he returned from a thigh injury in October.”So is the seed of mutiny germinating at Stamford Bridge?
Well firstly the misleading tone of many of these media reports soon gets quickly put into perspective when we look back to what Scolari himself said during the summer about his own particular management methods:
“I encourage my players to speak between themselves and to me. I am part of this group and many times one player says something before the game or at half-time. I look for the players to talk about certain situations and, afterwards, I have my time because I am the man that needs to decide that happens.”
"What they say can be negative, it’s not only positive. We need to look and receive questions to wait sometimes one or two minutes to see what happens. And after this, it’s my time.”
“We have lines. As long as we have respect, we accept them. If they cross those lines we need to say something. Until now, nobody has and I think that’s very good for Chelsea.”
So, it’s quite plausible that players did speak to Scolari about certain matters because the Brazilian actively encourages discussion with the players over problems - its part of his management style. He said from the off months ago that he likes and uses the group ethic where players express their opinions.
The media reports of “unrest” and Scolari´s authority being “put into question by the players” gets further put into perspective when Lampard had this to say over earleir reports that he and Terry marched into the Brazilian’s office to complain about the lack of intensity in training:
“That’s completely inaccurate. First of all, John Terry and I have far too much respect for the manager to go barnstorming into him to say this and that."
“From a player’s point of view, if things are going wrong out on the pitch then you look at yourself first.”
“So much of it is down to what you do each day in training how hard have you worked, how much pressure have you put yourself under?”
“Because if you don’t train well, you don’t play well. That’s the basics of football and that should never be lost. That’s why we must look at ourselves first. We are all big enough to know that. If fingers are being pointed at Scolari that’s harsh. That’s not right.”
“He has come over here and been like a breath of fresh air and a great ambassador for the club. This club needs a big, strong personality as manager - Mourinho was that and so too is Scolari.”
“The manager is certainly no fool just consider what he has done, what he has won and the people he has worked with. He will have his own idea on what’s been going wrong and how to put it right and he will do whatever’s necessary.”
“But he’s also a very approachable guy too so yes; we do speak to the manager.”
“He actually looks to work closely with his captain and captains. Every good manager I have had has done that. Obviously when things are going great and you are winning 5-0 here and 3-0 there things take care of themselves.”
“Now we have stuttered slightly with our home form. We’ve found it hard to break teams down.”
“We want to find the reasons why, find the solutions to the little problems that have come up. But we were not reading the riot act to the manager, far from it. It’s a collective thing, and mainly it’s down to us as players.”
“So all this talk of dissent in the camp is simply people trying to make a crisis out of it when it’s nothing like that."
So it does look as if problems are discussed – and very openly – but not because there is any kind of mutiny but because that’s the way Scolari works with his players. (And interesting that Lampard doesn’t mention Grant as the type of “big, strong personality that Chelsea needs”).
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Many Chelsea fans were unhappy with the substitutions against Arsenal and West Ham but at least we can be rest assured problems are discussed within the group openly in the dressing room.
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Papers need to be sold though - and journos want to make a name for themselves - but let´s have a bit of perspective shall we?
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Stumbleupon17/12/2008 19:44
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
i also think and time will tell,abramovich will get board before to long,i really think he may say what the hell am i doing,but we will see on that one.back to big phil,he is a national team manager so all this is pretty new to him,and i dont think he is getting it right,proof is in results,can he change it,sure i think he can,will he,doubt it,
Just goes to show how football has changed though. There is Scolari, less than 4 months of football in the job, transformed our style of football (in general), 2nd in the league, through to next phase of CL - all despite having key players injured for nearly all that time - and people are writing him off!
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
lpool never played well in champions league till the finals,
other teams do then bottle it,
for me it barca or real madrid this year,so then you only have facup n league,
fa cup no good to you really,league thats ok but not if you dont win in europe,,fans have gotmore demanding at the bridge,
only my oppinion mate
Although I reckon fans would be very very happy if we won just the league.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Quote:jayb
Does anyone have a source for the Lampard quotes?
(scroll WAY down)
LINK
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Quote:Since 66
we need to sort our home form out
We certainly do (although our away form is the best EVER in history).
There´s a bit of a break at the moment - hopefully, with Drogba back they are working on a 2 up front system? Cavalho also to come back which should tighten things up as well.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Deco, ballack, belletti, mikel and to be fair lampard all lack pace.. essien is a machine and the sooner he is back the better.. Joe Cole isn't the fastest but he can take people on he is the only 'wide' player who can.
kalou and malouda aren't good enough and hopefully we can offload them to man city or blackburn for £8 or £9m each.
rumours today suggest fabiano might be on his way to the bridge for £20m...
i would rather go for Capel... faster than walcott.
sinclair and gakuta need a spot on the bench and first team action.
... and yes i would be happy with just the league title this season. the CL is a bonus. FA Cup should be the minimum priority.
Would be amazed if they let Fabiano leave in January - but great if he does.
If Scolari wants an in the hole behind the striker(s) type player its a shame he doesn´t try Joe there - thats his position (although we´ve hardly used him there).
For me a wide player is a priority.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
I am not convinced we are going to sign ANYBODY!!!
If we don't best WBA on Boxing Day that it will be
Gimme a 1-0 that will do
Don't Gamble, Bet Risk Free
i expect from you 66
and if you dont best them then i will be here to remind you
should have been BEAT BEAT BEAT lol
and wiv your spelling u got the front to criticise me
HEHEHEHEHEH
Don't Gamble, Bet Risk Free
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