Football: Premier League - Scolari strikes the right note as Chelsea aim to strut with a Brazilian beat

by Paul Conneally | August 16, 2008 at 01:37 am

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The English Premier League, arguably the best in the world, starts its new season today and fans throughout the world will be looking to see what the Brazilian Luiz Felioe Scolari will bring to the pitch as he starts his first season as new manager of Chelsea. Many will be hoping that he will bring the free flowing Brazillian style to the English league and Chelsea fans will hope that he brings the Premiership title back to their club and unseat Manchester United from the top. Scolari has a reputation of being a hard man but his words to the other league managers on the eve of the season start are positive and warm. Welcome to the premiership Mr. Scolari.

Luiz Felipe Scolari is already bucking the trend. Other top-flight managers, past or present, might have used a first pre-match briefing ahead of a competitive fixture as an opportunity to undermine their rivals' credentials. Instead, the World Cup winner called for hush yesterday and introduced his press conference with words more courteous than caustic. "I want to wish all my colleagues the best," he said. "Some I know, and others I have not yet met, but I wish the coaches and teams all luck for the season."

The Brazilian enters uncharted territory this weekend. The 59-year-old has not coached at club level since he was in charge at Cruzeiro some seven years ago, and he has only ever surveyed the Premiership from a distance. He met six of those with whom he will compete at this week's Premier League managers' meeting, but their conversations were snatched with time precious and the season looming large. Yet his counterparts in English domestic football, not least those in charge of the other usual suspects competing for the title, will soon grow to know the new arrival in their number.