SCOLARI: THE CHELSEA TV INTERVIEW
Posted on: Tue 08 Jul 2008
Felipe welcome to Chelsea. After eight years of international management you have come back to being a club manager. Why now? Why Chelsea?
Why now, because I think it is a new challenge in my life and Chelsea because it is one of the best clubs in the world and they give me the chance to do the job.
And a big decision for you to leave your home and come to England with your family to move, was that difficult?
It's not difficult, my family go with me any place that I go until now and it's fantastic for me and for my family. Coming to England it's a new culture and I need to learn something more in my life. It's not a big decision. It's a strong decision we decide and we are strong together.
And when did you first meet Chelsea and what impressions did you get when you met Roman and the other members of the Chelsea's board?
My first impression was shock because Chelsea is too big and they give to me some ideas about Chelsea that they think I could be the coach for this club. I am prepared for this and after they give me the job and after Euros I study and I have more time to talk to Roman, to Peter and the other people, and I am more quieter. It is my team in the future.
And did they tell you what they expect you to achieve to win as Chelsea manager?
Yes, yes. It's normal, it's normal. Clubs they need win every competition, it's normal for the coach, you never hear that one coach says I come to this club only to play. I want to win. It's normal.
And now the Premier League. A new league for you, a new challenge for you. Do you know a lot about the Premier League? Have you watched it much before?
Yes I saw, I saw many games in that time. Five years in Portugal and many years in Brazil. And I have here at Chelsea the staff that provide for me all information that I need. It's a very good staff. They give to me in these three days four days that I am here one million bits of information about teams, about players, about clubs, analysis and everything that I need.
And there are also some other managers that will be your rivals. They have had some things to say about you coming. Arsene Wenger for instance said he thinks you will be a good addition to the Premier League. Are you looking forward to meeting Fergie and Arsene Wenger?
Yes I want say thank you to Arsene and the other coaches that now we play against, they say good words about me. I hope to make some friends in this period that I am here.
Let's talk about you as a coach. What kind of coach are you on the training ground? Do you get very involved? Do you just sit back and watch your players a lot?
No, no I am a coach that gets involved in all of things. I am here but my eyes are on all sides, and the players after 10 or 15 days will know me very well. If the coach is not here if he is not proceeding this way, it is wrong.
And in terms of your tactics with Portugal you often play a 4-3-3. We saw two holding midfielders. You used to do different things when you were a club manager in Brazil. Have you thought about tactically the shapes you are going to play with the Chelsea players here?
Yes, but I need to know the players for more than 15 to 20 days because when we arrive you think about the players and after you are training 10 or 15 days or one month you change some ideas about the players. Characteristics for the players are different in Portugal, in Brazil, in England. I need to know the players. After this I have a system.
So it's difficult for you to make any decisions?
But look, Chelsea may have more than one system in the future, not just one system. We need to be entertaining in two or three or four systems because if we are in difficulty we need to change and we need some different players to change sometimes. Only after training with Chelsea for one month minimum it will be possible to say which system is the best.
So you now have to make quick decisions about players coming in and players going out and there has been a lot of speculation in particular about Frank Lampard, have you had a chance to speak to him about his situation at Chelsea?
Yes, yesterday I spoke with the players and I spoke about how many players I want to work with this season - 23, 24 in the squad - and after this I met with Frank Lampard and we spoke for 15 minutes and after this when we finished I was very happy because I asked Lampard if he wants to stay at Chelsea and he said to me: 'Yes, I want to stay at Chelsea'.
And what about Didier Drogba? Have you spoken to him?
Yes, I spoke to him yesterday, and we spoke about his knee, his holidays and how many days he stayed out of training and what I expect with him this season - it was a good conversation.
And, very soon we go to Asia, the tour. Are you looking forward to the tour? And will you be able to take a full squad with all our top players?
This time is the time to transfer. Maybe we are in Asia and will receive some players, because now is the time for this. We go to Asia I think with 95 to 99 per cent of the team.
And what about pressure? You have been in jobs before, especially the Brazil national squad, where you are expected to win every match in every tournament and win the World Cup. It's a bit similar here at Chelsea, where people now expect Chelsea to win every game.
Yes, I know we need to win every game. But we know the opponents are sometimes better than us. And about pressure? I know about pressure because in Brazil they eat football, they sleep football - all football, and they understand about players, all the people. I think I am prepared for this, and I am starting, in my mind, to think about this, sure I am prepared for this.
There's pressure also from the media. The English media are very intrusive, they want to know a lot about you, they can make it difficult sometimes, are you ready for them?
Yes, I am ready. I am a simple man, I have my family, I have my friends. Normal. Similar to other people. And I am ready and I say to my friends, to my family, what's happened, what we hear about this, maybe it's not true, I am ready, no problem.
Just on the subject of media, there was a time when you were linked to the England national manager's job. It was said at the time that the media annoyed you and that was a problem for you. Is that true?
No, no. What happened that time? I think the time was not correct because we were going, both England and Portugal, to the World Cup. And we may, after three games, maybe we cross.
And if I have contact with the national team from Portugal and contact with England, what's my position in this game? It's not normal. This is the most important point.
Back to you, you say you are a simple man?
Yes.
Do you put a lot of pressure on yourself? What do you expect to achieve?
Because for 42 years I have been a player and then a coach and at that time, every year, every game, I want to win and in my mind I need to win.
If I lose some games it is difficult for me to accept. To continue in my life until I finish my job as a coach I need to fight for my life, I don't accept not to win.
They say about other players you have worked with before that you are slightly like a father figure to them and someone they can talk to. You've got some big personalities here at Chelsea, will you be happy to talk to them and guide them?
Look, I am sometimes like father, sometimes I'm like a brother, because they are the age of my son, same age and I know that sometimes I need to say to my son strong words because he needs to win, he needs to listen, then he needs to think and maybe follow one way - a good way, and my system with the players is the same. I give to the players all that they need but we have rules and we need to follow these rules, we need to understand that this is the correct way for win, for the life. And about this, I am strong.
Because that is your reputation and people who maybe haven't worked with you say that you are firm and strong and you don't take any nonsense.
Yes, because I think in life you need this, you need a good way and correct way and sometimes if you have one player that is in the wrong way you talk to him and give him advice about this or that and he is like your son.
Do you think you are a special one?
I am special for my friends, for my family, all of this.
And finally, what do you think will be success for Chelsea this season? What do you think will be a good product?
Me and my staff and the players and the board all want to win all the competitions.
But do you think we will?
I think we have the conditions to win all competitions that we are in. And we will try the best for Chelsea, the best for the players, the best for our fans. I don't know how many championships we'll win - one, two, three or four, I don't know but we'll try.
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