Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is one of those people who is genuinely a larger than life character and has the trophies to go with his coaching talent, but he would dearly love to add the European crown to his achievements.
The 59-year-old Brazilian came agonizingly close four years ago as the hosts Portugal succumbed 1-0 to Greece in the final, having already lost 2-1 to them in the opening match of the tournament.
However, whilst “Big Phil” or “master sergeant” as he is known for his disciplinarian manner, has since lost several hugely experienced players through retirement — Luis Figo and Pedro Pauleta giving up the ghost following their exit in the 2006 World Cup semi-finals — he is confident they can give as good a showing this time round.
PHOTO: AFP
“We have as good a chance as we did in 2004,” said Scolari, who guided Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title.
“This time round, the team is younger and less experienced, but, with good morale we can reach the final,” added Scolari, who bears a striking resemblance to Hollywood actor Gene Hackman.
Scolari brooks no argument either with his own players or those of the opposition as he showed when he surprised many by leaving the experienced Inter Milan midfielder Maniche out of the final squad.
However, he drew serious criticism and a punishment from European governing body UEFA for his handling of another incident when he slapped Serbian player Ivica Dragutinovic following a Euro 2008 qualifier.
That has not deterred the normally placid Portuguese supporters from adoring him and indeed he has managed to get them rather fired up, beginning back at Euro 2004 when he implored them to hang the Portuguese national flag from their windows and thousands answered his call to arms.
Scolari has also defied the belief that a modest playing career does not make a good coach as he has shown with his inspirational qualities of motivating players and getting the most out of them.
His list of achievements aside from the World Cup backs this up with the Gulf Cup with Kuwait in 1990 and two Libertadores Cups with Gremio and Palmeiras in 1995 and 1999 respectively.
Whether he stays on with the Portuguese after the championships remains open to debate.
Just before the 2006 World Cup it was revealed that he had been offered the England post in succession to Sven-Goran Eriksson only to snub the English Football Association in embarrassing fashion.
He has been linked once again with succeeding Eriksson, this time at Premiership side Manchester City — if as seems inevitable the Swede is sacked.
Tallon Griekspoor on Friday stunned top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year. Zverev, the world No. 2 who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with No. 1 Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017. It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German. That included a five-setter
Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday scored 26 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs with a hard-fought 112-107 victory over the Miami Heat. A seesaw battle in Cleveland saw the Heat threaten to end the Cavs’ 11-game unbeaten streak after opening up a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Cavs clawed back the deficit in the closing minutes to seal their 12th straight victory and a place in the post-season. The Cavaliers improved to 52-10, maintaining their stranglehold on the Eastern Conference with 20 games of the regular season remaining. Mitchell was one of six Cleveland
Five-time champion Novak Djokovic on Saturday tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced. “No excuses for a poor performance,” 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat. “It doesn’t feel great when you play this way on the court,” he said. “But congratulations to my opponent — just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.” Djokovic is just the latest in Van de Zandschulp’s string of superstar victims. He
Manchester United on Thursday settled for a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie. United led on Joshua Zirkzee’s goal in the 58th minute, but the hosts equalized 12 minutes later after Bruno Fernandes’ hand ball and Mikel Oyarzabal sent Andre Onana the wrong way from the penalty spot. The Europa League could be a way for United to finish the season with a trophy after crashing out of the FA Cup on Sunday. A spot in the quarter-finals is to be on the line at Old Trafford in the second leg on Thursday next
RSS