Scolari doesn't feel Euro pressure
| Ahead of Tuesday's visit of Bordeaux, Luiz Felipe Scolari insists he does not fear the sack if Chelsea again fail to win the Champions League.The European Cup is the only trophy Chelsea have not landed since Roman Abramovich took over the club in June 2003 and that failure has proven costly for Scolari's predecessors. Avram Grant did not last long at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea were beaten on penalties by Manchester United in last year's final. But Scolari said he had not even discussed the Champions League with Abramovich - and he maintained there is no extra pressure from on high to deliver European success this season. "I don't talk with Roman Abramovich about the Champions League," said Scolari, who makes his management debut in the competition when Chelsea tackle Bordeaux at Stamford Bridge. "It is not right to put out the idea that if you don't win then the coach is out. You don't know the history. "Chelsea have tried for many years to win the Champions League and they got to last year's final, which was fantastic. "Tomorrow we try again to arrive in the final but that is a long way away. It is not easy. "It is not only this competition the players want to win. This is very important but if you say this is more important than other competitions, I say no." Despite Scolari's protestations, the Champions League remains Chelsea's holy grail. Chief executive Peter Kenyon detailed 12 months ago how the club had targeted two European triumphs by 2013. Laurent Blanc, the Bordeaux manager and former Manchester United defender, believes Chelsea crave that success because without it they cannot compete with the long European traditions of rival clubs like United and Real Madrid. Ahead of Tuesday's clash, Blanc reminded Chelsea that a massive cash injection guarantees neither success nor that respect at the highest level. "When I left Manchester, it was around the time the owner of Chelsea had just arrived and was putting his team together and strengthening his club," said Blanc. "When you have the millions of pounds Chelsea have behind them, it helps an awful lot. Maybe even I could put a team together that would win the European Cup with that financial backing behind me. "Chelsea have progessed and are probably one of the best clubs in the world. They have the fans, the infrastructure and the finances. "But in spite of all those things I have listed, they still haven't carried off the Champions League trophy, which shows how difficult a competition it is to win. To do that is now their aim." Scolari is not concerned that Chelsea will be suffering any hangover from their Moscow disappointment and he has not even spoken to the squad about the fateful penalty shoot-out. Midfielder John Mikel Obi could take on the deep-lying midfield role after Michael Essien was ruled out for six months with a cruciate ligament injury. And he insisted the ghosts of Moscow have been well and truly laid to rest, explaining: "It has been a long time since the Champions League final. "We all felt really bad after the game - but this season we have a good chance of getting it back and that is what we want to do." Didier Drogba is also out - suspended following his red card in last year's final - but Chelsea are set to be bolstered by the return of Michael Ballack into midfield |
發表於 2008-9-16 03:23 AM
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