David Gold: Abramovich was right to go for Scolari

Despite England’s lack of presence in this year’s Euros, I have been enjoying the tournament and think it has been a fantastic spectacle of European football. 

There is so little to distinguish between the remaining teams and any one of them could win.  It would be great to see Holland emerge as European champions, but I do have a soft spot for Portugal with the incredible talent they show every match both on the pitch and in the form of the new Chelsea manager Felipe Scolari, so I was disappointed to see them crash out of the tournament last night.

It makes sense to see Scolari stepping in to fill Avram Grant’s shoes at Chelsea. When you are the richest club on the planet you naturally want the very best and with Scolari’s CV there is no better man for the job.

It is often said that national managers may not make the grade in club football, but when you are referring to Chelsea, almost a national team themselves, the best national manager in the world is the man suited to the job - I would have done the same in Abramovich’s position.

People have questioned the relationship between Abramovich and his managers following issues with both Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant. 

I have seen little evidence to suggest Abramovich creates a close affiliation with any of his managers.  Usually owner and chairman have good working relationships with their managers and we have all seen the consequences if they don’t.

Chelsea, however, are structured in such a way that a daily working relationship between the owner and principle is unnecessary as Abramovich will only step in when things have gone wrong.

Scolari has a presence and charisma that will suit Chelsea, as displayed when he backed Ronaldo this week, further whetting Real Madrid’s appetite.

Along with the rest of the world, I am intrigued to see where Ronaldo starts next season. Manchester United and Real Madrid have found themselves in a vicious stand-off over the greatest player in the world.

My belief is that if an exceptional player like Ronaldo wants to leave for a club of equal or better stature there will always be posturing from the principles at the club devoted to keeping the player.

This is why we have heard such things as Manchester United would rather see Ronaldo “rot” in the reserves than see him move to Madrid. It is all bravado, with little substance. Never has a club let their best player “rot” in the reserves. It would be a grave mistake and would be an example of angry managers and owners cutting off their noses to spite their face.

I have experienced a similar encounter; Robbie Savage had signed a four-year contract at Birmingham City, was photographed kissing his badge, and we all thought he was going to be at St. Andrews for the foreseeable future. When it came to Robbie’s departure we weighed everything up, there were cries to let him “rot in the reserves”, but after a full analysis we had to let him go despite our best efforts to keep him.

Unless you are very close with Ronaldo, it is impossible to know where his heart lies.  There are many personal factors that he will be addressing; maybe his family and girlfriend are playing an influential role. He will have a personal preference, there is no question of that, so he is playing a game to orchestrate the best deal for him.

Comments

[kenneth]

Ronaldo is good,too,too good that i wish he was my brother,but if he wants to go let him go.
yes, man u fans may miss him but there is a Nani who will soon turn to be the best in man u,once Ronaldo moves,just give Nani the chance to feel english soccer then watch out for him, i love ronaldo playing for man u. but one thing i know for sure is that once he leaves man u,someone like Nani will step in and do well.

And i think is time for Ronaldo to make money,because this game is allso about making money too.and man u will being makeing money tooif he moves.
there is this saying in Nigeria SOJA go SOJA come.
i trust sir, he knows a great player wen he sees one, sir let us go make another ronaldo for man u.
thank u.

[c.Elder]

Scolari has NEVER won ANYTHING in Europe.His Portugal team were preening,ineffective,small-minded,cheaters.Portugal won nothing during his reign.He speaks no English,and has never managed a multinational group of players in a top European league.He will achieve little at Chelsea.Fergie will run rings around him,as will Wenger.Only the hapless Benitez will struggle with him,while being overtaken by Man City.

[serge blue]

Roanldo is NOT the best player in the world and NOT worth 60 - 70 million. If I were united I would cash in now....it is folly if they don't

[St.Jorge]

Scolari a great choice?

Listen, coming from an ardent Portugal supporter I can tell you that either Scolari was intentionally sabotaging Portugal in the last 3 tournies or the clown is the most naive, inept, incompetent simpleton to manage a world class side EVER! To the casual observer that sounds ludicrous right? However, for us Portuguese who follow football religiously we can assure you that this man is a absolutely the worst. You English football supporters cannot begin to imagine the incredible relief that we feel at this moment knowing that we are free of that nightmare that was "Felipao".

While, we feel joy and elation for our emancipation of his irrational dictatorship, we feel badly for the Chelsea fans who have no idea whatsoever what they are getting there selves into. Trust me! It's just a matter of time until Chelsea fans will be echoing my comments.

As a Portuguese I can tell you from the bottom of my heart, " were free at last, thank God Almighty were free at last".

[Luc Bailey]

let's face facts. scolari is just another manager with a good cv. just like mourinho and grant. only thing is he hasn't got an ego the size of abramoviche's bank, and isn't someone who thinks runner up is as good as winning! if gets deco then it all but bye bye to lampard. my advice to chelski: GET RID OF MALOUDA!!!

Ronaldo will always get his own way. he prooved it at the world cup '06 when the roonaldo saga happened. how managed to avoid a battering by rooney and a roasting by fergie i'll never know! everyone says they hate ronaldo but thruthfully, who wouldn't want to get rooney sent off! and don't deny that you would give anything to have the two biggest clubs in the world fighting for your signature! and if you could have that many women wanting you then you would! i myself am just waiting for big phil to enter the race to for the winker. there's no reason why he wouldn't. and i dont think ronaldo would pass the oportunity to beat fergie and united to the title every year, do you?

all that being said, there has been no news on david bently. little does everyone know but he has said that he wants to leave blackburn. he is the second coming beckham. just a thought a would give blackburn double what chealski paid for drogba (frankly beacause he's better!)

[Marcelo]

I believe that United should be cool about it. Just leave Ronaldo goes to Real Madrid. There is no point to keep someone who does not want to play for the club.
I can't see any difference between Ronaldo and Formula Driver - Jenson Button - He wanted to leave, but they didn't allow him to do so. What happened to him? If United tried to keep him, he will do nothing next season.

Bye bye Ronaldo, Be Welcome Robinho!!!

[Chip Barbre]

Scolari will be gone within 24 months. Scolari won't be told what to do, and Ambramovich is a shameless meddler. It's a match made in hell that obviously won't last. Grant was actually Roman's ideal person to be manager. A toadie who will do what he's told.

[Keith]

The best in the world? This master tactician only had to figure out that if he beat the Swiss the result against Germany didn't matter but he put out a weakened team and paid the price. He should have secured a quarter final place, tried his reserves against Germany and still been in the competition.

[Joshua]

I am a Chelsea fan, i thought Avram was a good manager, he got us to the 3 runners up but still her should of have won one of them! Yes we were cheated in the League Cup Final and Champions League Final with Ronaldo diving and the League as just down to the same old lazyness! Scolari is the right man because he always does well with top teams! Brazil, Portugal! Chelsea will defo win a cup this year IF WE KEEP THE SAME MANAGER!!!!

[Rachel Barrett]

I see no problem whatsoever with letting a player rot in the reserves to be honest. I have been a season ticket holder at Aston Villa since 1971 and believe me I have seen several managers of other so called big clubs acting as though the other teams in the top flight are their purely as feeder fodder. Alex Ferguson and the Dwight Yorke saga? It is amazing how he is so upset about approaches for Ronaldo. If my memory serves me correct he behaved in exactly the same way when he decided to pursue Yorke. Now when another club is behaving in the way he has always done he doesn't like it.

[John]

Robbie Savage - Birmingham City's Ronaldo! That's about their level.

[Sophie]

Why can't you let a player rot in the reserves? That might make them think about what a contract actually means rather than a statement of their wages until they get bored with the club. Somebody has to stand up to these players. It's no good having £60m in the bank if there isn't any comparable talent you can replace him with. It's about time clubs took a stand and demanded loyalty from their players instead of a one-way relationship whereby the club pays their wages and they can be as disinterested as they like and start looking elsewhere