Does Scolari Need to Shut Up?
By dixon9
November 5 2008
Last night I felt sad, peeved and annoyed. So spoilt are us Chelsea fans these days that we are not used to suffering that rare occurrence of losing or losing by a two goal margin. What’s worse was that we had endured defeat after the pre-match headlines had our new manager Scolari embarrassingly bigging us up – he had done the same before Liverpool and now, again before Roma.
We lost to Liverpool 0-1 in the league at home a fortnight ago (and a home record that had lasted since Neolithic times) and not only were we accused by their supporters of losing without good grace (only “admitting” they had played like Brazil to gain a resounding victory would have achieved that in their books anyway) but we also had to listen to them poking fun about Scolari´s pre-match comments in the media stating that we were going to have an invincible season (understandably, Arsenal fans, foaming at the mouth, joined in unison).
Then came Roma. The media had Scolari apparently boasting that we were going to book the hotel the team was staying in also for the Champions League final that is to take place in the Stadio Olimpico. Just hours later we were on the business end of a 3-1 stuffing!
So I thought I’d write a little piece on this; “Scolari is a great manager but he needs to learn to keep his cakehole shut…” type of thing. After all, the season is still young and on both occasions when he’s opened his mouth professing our abilities we have suffered defeat. The bloke was cursing us and if defeat isn’t enough then we can add streams of oppo fans giving us the “Ner ner ner ner! Scolari said this and look what happens!” to our woes.
So I started to put pen to paper (or rather keyboard to wordproscessor) and began to dig up the offending articles – starting with Liverpool; ESPN - Chelsea can be Invincible, Telegraph - Chelsea can be new Invincibles says Scolari, Daily Mail - Chelsea Manager Scolari tells Liverpool We Want to be Invincible…
So that was the headlines taken care of. How about some actual quotes to back them up – or even some video interviews – just to see what he actually said:
Pre-match, on Liverpool: "I think now, when they let in one or two goals, they have the confidence to believe they will score three because they've changed four or five games in the last 10 minutes. They never accept that they will lose. That's the difference now."
"This is what I want from my team as well and it is what they give me. That's why Sunday will be a fantastic game - a clash of the invincibles.”
"I know it's more difficult than other games, maybe. But it's the same three points as when we played against Stoke, Hull or Fulham."
Well, not exactly damning isn’t it?
Some more: "We play and we think about winning. One day, maybe we'll lose. But we don't think about the home record. We must think about the competition and think about winning trophies."Still not enough to bring him to the gallows really...So how about some video evidence?
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/sportvideos/article1852895.ece
Reporter: You’re undefeated so far, is it possible to go the whole season undefeated?
Scolari: I think it’s possible.
Reporter: Is that something you’re aiming to do?
Scolari: No…but I think it’s possible….I don’t what happen if we win or don’t win but we try to win when start the game, sure…Would the jury convict him? Nowhere near as bigheaded as the media would have us believe really.
So what about this Roma hotel business?;
The Sun - Scolari Books Euro Final Hotel, The Times - Scolari Books Chelsea in Early for Final, F365 – Chelsea Book Final Hotel Already…
One article began to set the scene as follows;
Chelsea’s hotel in the Roman hills, where rooms start at £776 a night, rising to £6,400 for the King’s Suite, is less than half a mile from the stadium and Scolari is hoping to return to make up for last season’s penalty shoot-out defeat by Manchester United in Moscow.
But then:
“We need to arrive in the final. We’re playing very well, but we’ve not got into any final position yet. We need to get into more finals, win more finals. Then, after that, it might be possible to say we are better than last season.”
“It’s a long way to go to May and first we need to win tomorrow (Tuesday), or get a minimum of one point,” he said.
“We need to qualify for the second round and then win every other round to reach the final. We’re not here to show the people something with May in mind. Tomorrow we have to beat Roma."
Doesn’t cut it so far does it?!! He’s hardly bigging us up too much there is he?
So how about this from another report? “I like this hotel. It’s beautiful. It’s a fantastic hotel. When we went for a walk today, there are flags, trees — a beautiful situation. It’s a great view. If the hotel accepts, we’ll book it for May.
Hmmm…Then I came across this from The Times Blog (also posted up on CFCNet):
Felipe Scolari – accompanied by the monosyllabic and deeply uncomfortable Salomon Kalou – was giving his usual jovial hap’orth to the assembled press corps at the rather swish Cavalieri Hotel in Rome.
What do you think, Felipe, asked a nearby press wag... would you book this place for the final? “It’s a beautiful hotel with great views,” enthused our Brazilian manager. “If the hotel accepts, we’ll book it.”
Collective chuckles. A little verbal sparring. And the press conference ended.
The thing is, these people know they’re making it up. They’re laughing at you. When you – the Liverpool fan, the Arsenal fan, whoever – jump on the message boards and forums to spit “arrogant tw*t” and “typical Chelsea”, the journalists that wrote this crap are sitting around a keyboard in some grey little building laughing themselves silly. Look, Desmond. I just wave the little red rag and off they go. Who shall we do tomorrow?
Very illuminating - so Scolari´s not really guilty there either is he?
Upon reflection we can conclude that the media are a bunch of bullsh-t-ers (but I’m hardly going to get a Pulitzer Prize for that revelation!) although if Scolari is guilty of something it most certainly could be a bit of naivety on dealing with the media.
He’s not used to European club football and particularly the British media. He certainly needs a few pointers, be made aware of the traps that will be set.
We are supposed to have a director of communications… a Simon Whatshisname…(“Greenburg” – Ed) let’s hope somebody can find Simon Whatshisname (Does he still work for us?) and get him to pencil in Scolari for a few sessions – and the sooner the better.
Well done!
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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.
Even your own lot have noticed now.
Quote:StopSpoutingRubbish
Im sorry but your therory is based on complete and utter paranoia. To say we lost to Liverpool and Roma because Scolari said something, which you feel is tempting fate, is absolute rubbish. We played badly in those games and didn't deserve anything from them SIMPLE AS THAT! If we had Carvalho, Essien, Ballack, A.cole and Drogba fully fit don't you think they could have made a difference? Think about what your saying before posting such crap.
The whole point of the piece is how the media deliberately mis-represent what Scolari has said you nitwit!
(Love the "I´ll post this and run" nickname by the way)
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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.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:11:06:02:23:30 by dixon9.
Quote:Captain Scarlet
Think about what your saying before posting such crap.
Even your own lot have noticed now.
I refer you to my post above.
Either get a brain or shut up.
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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.
Well, if some of you above (and Mr Sheep, Capt Scarlet) actually READ the piece you should detect a bit of tongue in cheek ((...I mean the bloke (Scolari) is cursing us, )) but that the emphasis is on MEDIA MANIPULATION.
READ it ffs!
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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.
Shame on the scribbler of this negative article.
Perhaps you should watch the Chelsea TV phone-ins and listen to the 'spew' that comes out of supporters who phone-in who don't even go to games.
There is an irony is this article...... read it again and refer back to your papers and hopefully u should see the light!!!
Don't Gamble, Bet Risk Free
The internet - a place for cowards
or is it PC terrorism
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Quote:Sir Cecil
No sooner do we see the media paying proper respect to our manager, than worms crawl out from the midst of our "supporters" and start filling the Internet with spew like this article.
Shame on the scribbler of this negative article.
The only negative I can see (or that I meant) was the media manipulation and that our Director of comms ought to brief Scolari a bit on the rabid media.
If you can point out otherwise Sir Cecil, then please do (but I´ve a feeling you´re a post and run merchant anyway).
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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.
Apparantly he is a Spurs fan!!!
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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.