Big Phil parts company with Palmeiras
Reuters - Thursday 13 September 2012, 22:28
Former Brazil, Portugal and
Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari parted company with
Palmeiras on Thursday after a series of defeats left the team
mired in the Brazilian championship relegation zone.
The fiery Scolari's departure came two months after his side
won the Copa Brasil knockout tournament.
"In a meeting which took place this afternoon between the
president, director of football and coaching staff, it was
decided by mutual agreement to end the contract between Luiz
Felipe Scolari and the club," said Palmeiras in a statement.
"Palmeiras thank the coach for his services, he is one of
the greatest leaders the club has had in all of its history."
Scolari, usually known as Felipao (Big Phil) is seen as a
possible replacement for Brazil coach Mano Menezes who, despite
winning most of his games in his two years in charge, has failed
to capture the public imagination in the run-up to the 2014
World Cup, which Brazil hosts.
Scolari, one of Brazil's most successful coaches, was
previously in charge of Palmeiras from 1997 to 2000, when they
won the Brazilian championship, Libertadores Cup and Copa
Brasil.
He returned to the club in July 2010 but struggled to repeat
that success, as they managed a modest 11th place in last
season's Brazilian championship.
His departure came the day after a 3-1 defeat at Vasco da
Gama left Palmeiras 19th in the 20-team championship with 24
points, seven adrift of 16th-placed Flamengo and safety. The
bottom four teams go down.
Scolari performed an astonishing transformation in just over
a year in charge of Brazil.
He took over in 2001 with the team in disarray and suffered
a shock elimination by Honduras at the Copa America shortly
afterwards.
However, a late surge propelled them to the 2002 World Cup
and, despite low expectations, they went on to win their fifth
world title.