before scolari came we were told he would come into chelsea and take no crap from no-one, a football equivelant to dirty harry. what weve seen so far is a very happy man whos nothing like the aggressive animal we were expecting. well it seems he may well be ready to bite back if this article is true...

Scolari is fed up of hearing complaints from several of his stars about tactics and team selection and then watching those same players produce lacklustre displays.

The Brazilian believes some members of his squad have been unsettled by interest from other clubs and he is determined to clear out the disaffected before the transfer window closes.

Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry and Frank Lampard have all reportedly had disagreements with Scolari in recent weeks as the pressure of the team's spluttering form begins to tell.

England duo Terry and Lampard are clearly untouchable but Ivory Coast striker Drogba, who was left out of Chelsea's FA Cup win at Southend in midweek following a lacklustre display against Manchester United, could have been on Scolari's mind when he demanded more spirit from the players.

"I don't know where the spirit has gone. Maybe some offers outside have caused a problem," Scolari said.

"This is the time for everybody to play as a group with spirit. Or it is time to change the group. They know they need to stay together and fight until the end of May. If not now is the time to change.

"I know many managers and assistants call the players. If they call they can buy but don't make a problem for me because I don't make a problem for other coaches. I have ethics.

"Now it is the time to transfer. After January they need to play and love Chelsea.

"Everyday I look in the newspaper and receive contacts. Ok. Pay what the club want and go. If not stay, but stay because you love it here. That is the same for every player."

Drogba has cut a forlorn figure for much of this season and it would be no surprise if he was pining for a reunion with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.

As yet no-one has made a firm offer for Drogba and Scolari insisted he is determined to improve the player's fragile mental and physical condition.

"Now is the time to buy but who has come to buy? No-one," he said.

"Didier has started to change his technical conditions and his mind because sometimes he gets in front of goal and he is not ready.

"Now is the time to give him more confidence, then after we see what happens.

"He only doesn't play for one game. We have 40 games until the end of the season. We have time to change something."

Scolari was understandably angry with his side's dismal display in their 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford last weekend and responded by admitting several of his players were giving only 50 percent or less.

But their performance in Wednesday's FA Cup tie, where the Blues came back from a goal down to beat Southend 4-1, at least proved to the former Portugal coach that some of his squad are still willing to fight.

"We won on Wednesday not because we played a fantastic game but because we wanted to win," he said.

"When we have heart we are very good as a technical team. We are better than other teams. This is the difference because we have fantastic players. We need spirit, every game, every week, every day and every hour."

With senior players like Terry, Lampard and Carvalho all asking Scolari to change aspects of his regime, including training intensity and defensive marking schemes, the Brazilian acknowledges that he would be a fool not to listen but he knows the buck stops with him.

"I am not a dictator, I am a democratic man. I listen. If it is better for my team I change some things," he said.

"I am an international coach. I stay awake many times at night looking at videos. But if I am wrong it is my mistake."

About bloody time, I say. I am encouraged by this and agree with everything he said. It is all about Chelsea Football Club. Be part of it or ship out. Scolari seems to finally showing himself to be a leader of men. Harsh words have needed to be said for some time. Now they have been. Th ramifications of this will be interesting.

About bloody time, I say. I am encouraged by this and agree with everything he said. It is all about Chelsea Football Club. Be part of it or ship out. Scolari seems to finally showing himself to be a leader of men. Harsh words have needed to be said for some time. Now they have been. Th ramifications of this will be interesting.

Almost word for word what I thought when I saw this on Sky. A big red point for Gene Hackman.

WallOfText.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11668_4805533,00.html

Edited January 17, 200916 yr by blizeH

Good noises being made by Scolari, but I really hope that he is being totally honest about folk playing because they love the club not just the money. I'd rather a good spell for a youth player hungry for success rather than keep putting in the same player again and again hoping to get performances of old from them.

Does anyone else feel like Drogba is being scapegoated?

I know he's a dick and everything and it seems perfectly possible that he might be responsible for the unrest, and judging by the celebrations and the team spirit shown after the second goal against Stoke, that might back that up (that they feel happier and more united without him there), but do you think that's really the story or is he just a convenient person to point the finger at for Scolari so it seems like he's doing something?

I don't think he is being scapegoated by anyone other than the media. Bottom line is he is not playing well and looks pretty disinterested. On those grounds he deserves to be dropped and if he was a lower profile player he would be dropped without the media picking up on it but because he is high profile the media know they can make money out of it.

I also dont think he is being scapegoated. Its not as if LFS or anyone else at the club is saying "Drogba is the problem" specifically. He just happens to be the archetype of the individual they happen to be talking about. We have been slaughtered for years by the press and rival fans for being the magnet club for "mercenaries" and signing people who are "only about the money" and as much as I have tried to drown them out, we all know that has had something to do with it with some players.

About bloody time, I say. I am encouraged by this and agree with everything he said. It is all about Chelsea Football Club. Be part of it or ship out. Scolari seems to finally showing himself to be a leader of men. Harsh words have needed to be said for some time. Now they have been. Th ramifications of this will be interesting.

well well said. My thoughts exactly

also, I loved this quote

"It's time for everybody to play with spirit, to show their love for Chelsea - or it's time to change club!" declared the Brazilian to The Daily Star.

And thumping his heart, Scolari continued: "When we have this, we are better than other teams.

That gives me alot of heart when we, as fans, notice that effort and commitment is most lacking when times are tough.