"It doesn't help," was the verdict from Wenger
on Scolari's announcement.
Arsène Wenger has given Luiz Felipe Scolari a cautious
welcome to the Premier League, although he pulled no punches on the
new Chelsea manager's decision to announce his departure from the
Portugal team midway through Euro 2008. "It doesn't help," was the
verdict from Wenger, who also insisted that Arsenal would be good
enough to compete for the title next season "no matter who the
players are".
With the Arsenal manager set to return next week from his
busman's holiday at Euro 2008 to sort out the uncertain futures of
Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexander Hleb, among others, he was bullish
about the club's future. They do not face Chelsea until November
and Wenger said that he had had a good relationship with Scolari.
However, his comparison of the Brazilian's situation with that of
Jacques Santini four years ago will not be judged the most
flattering.
While manager of France, Santini announced before Euro 2004 that
he would be leaving to take charge of Tottenham after the
tournament. France were eliminated in the first knockout round and
Santini lasted at Spurs only until that November. "It [the
announcement] is difficult to measure but what is for sure is that
it doesn't give something to the team, it only takes it away,"
Wenger said. "It doesn't help.
"We had that situation with Jacques Santini saying to Tottenham
[he would join after Euro 2004]. The speculation was there. Then it
starts, 'Who will be the next manager?' in the newspapers. And when
it starts in the newspapers it starts in the players' camp. I like
Scolari as a person and as a coach. He can bring something to the
Premier League. You never know what will happen, but he is a
quality man and manager.
"The system he plays looks similar to the 4-5-1/ 4-3-3 system
that Chelsea play. Whether it is down to the fact that they have
similar strikers, I don't know. There will be a change, because
every manager brings his own personality and he will buy players,
but the system won't change."
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