Scolari happy with choice of Chelsea

Successful start
Since leaving Cruzeiro EC in 2001, Scolari has led Brazil to the 2002 FIFA World Cup and had five successful years in charge of Portugal. But the touch that helped him to Copa Libertadores victories with Grêmio FBPA and SE Palmeiras in the 1990s has not deserted him at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea are yet to taste defeat under his command, beginning their UEFA Champions League campaign – his first – with a 4-0 victory against FC Girondins de Bordeaux. The 59-year-old, however, never doubted he could make the transition back from international to club coaching.

Club specialist
"I feel very good, because I became the coach of national teams when I didn't actually want to be a national-team coach," said Scolari, who announced he was joining Chelsea during Portugal's run to the UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-finals. "I never dreamed of being a national-team coach. I always wanted to be a club coach and to be respected and accepted by the clubs. But then I became involved in these national-team scenarios and now I have six or seven years' experience coaching national sides. I coached three national teams – Kuwait [in 1990, winning the Gulf Cup], then Brazil and finally Portugal. But the biggest part of my career has been as a club player and as a club coach."

'At home'
Scolari is also happy with his specific choice of club. "I feel very much at home at Chelsea," he said. "I feel very comfortable and I do what I always did. Now I have better contact with the players, because I work with them for three to four hours every day and that's what I like to do – to have contact with the players, and to see the growth in both the players and the team. To be able to see what we are getting better at and what we need to do to improve. So I feel very good and I think I went back to club management at just the right moment. I'm very happy for it to be a club like Chelsea. I'm very satisfied and happy with my return to club football."

Old friends
Chelsea were also a good pick with his former Portugal charges Paulo Ferreira, José Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho and Deco being in the squad, along with fellow Brazilians Alex and Juliano Belletti, one of Scolari's 2002 selection. "It does help at certain moments, because we have the same language," Scolari said. "I also have players with a different language, and often I don't speak in Portuguese with some players when there are others around. Instead I speak in a language we all understand so it doesn't look like I have favourites due to language or whatever. But it's clear that, for some situations, it's very important for me to have a player who I have already worked with and who speaks my language, like Portuguese or Brazilian players."