Luiz Felipe Scolari has been sacked as manager of Chelsea.

A statement on the club's website revealed the move had been made "to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for".

Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, was appointed in June 2008 as the replacement for Avram Grant.

Chelsea, fourth in the Premier League and seven points behind Manchester United, will be led by assistant Ray Wilkins on an interim basis.

"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club with immediate effect," read the statement. "The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager.

"Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon.

"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season.

"In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now.

"The search for a new manager has already started and we hope to have someone in place as soon as possible."

More soon.

 

That's kind of a shock considering his past success, but shouldn't be a surprise considering Chelsea's "form" lately... I wonder who'll pick up the reins.

 

a bit of a surprise yes but since he couldn't secure robinho's services it's been a slow decline. hopefully the new manager can right the ship, they seem to want zola but he is unavailable...or is he?

 

He wouldn't leave West Ham right now. Maybe in the summer...

 

I think at the moment my choices would be:

Mourinho
Rijkard
Zola & Steve Clarke

Bringing Grant back would be a huge mistake and Hiddink has already said he wants to coach another national team.

 

it's sad to see Scolari leave i think they should've given him at least two seasons and IMO he would've transformed Chelsea.... That said I also believe bringing back grant would be disastrous. IMO they should stick with the assistant manager Wilkins (I think) and sign a great manager and stick with him Rijkaard is my choice

 

Mourinho has to be enjoying watching Chelsea crumble. I'm not sure what the management is expecting from their new coaches - Grant and Scolari have a injury-plagued team that could be the best in the world if the likes of Essien were healthy - they are dealing with a team built by Mourinho.

Avram Grant was a fustercluck but why sack big Phil after only 7 months? What a shame. Bring on Rijkaard.

 

Following the sacking of former world-cup winning Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari as Chelsea manager yesterday, a host of well-respected names have been linked with the vacancy.

One of those is 46-year-old Frank Rijkaard who has, during his time as a manager, guided the Netherlands national team to the semi-finals of Euro 2000 and won the Spanish Primera Division twice and Champions League once as head coach of Barcelona.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the former Ajax and Milan midfielder's agent admitted that he would be interested in the Chelsea job.

However, he also added that the two-time Dutch Footballer of the Year, who has been without a job since leaving La Blaugrana at the end of the 2007/08 campaign, is yet to receive a formal approach from the Blues.

Ricky Brooks, Goal.com

 

Rijkaard is a good choice. Solid guy with great credentials. He also knows how to handle egos and was a great player himself...

 

Looks like Hiddink is the front runner at the moment. He is being looked at to come in for the rest of the season while still maintaining his post as the Russian National team coach.