CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:THE CHAMPIONS League has been a treacherous place for Chelsea managers. Luiz Felipe Scolari, who confronts the competition for the first time tonight, said yesterday that failing to win the club's first European Cup would not seriously undermine his prospects of retaining his job.
"If you don't win it the coach is out?" he asked as Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant's near misses were mentioned. "No, that is not the case."
The Brazilian was incredulous at the suggestion that European success is demanded by his paymasters - it is, however, hard to draw any other conclusion. Ranieri lost a semi-final against Monaco and was a dead man walking; Mourinho reached two semi-finals and was sacked after drawing the first group game almost exactly a year ago; Grant was a penalty-kick away from winning the trophy in May. He was unemployed within a fortnight.
Roman Abramovich's ambitions were made clear when his chief executive, Peter Kenyon, said last summer: "Over a 10-year period, you need two European Cups to be a world club. We will win the Champions League. It's just "when" is the question."
Kenyon arrived in 2003, so time is running out. Such is the power of the four English clubs who enter the group stage this week that Chelsea must have a good chance to get to Rome next May, but while Scolari can remain publicly bullish, pressure is always building. Moscow is a nightmarish memory, and it feels more and more like a missed opportunity.
It was left to Scolari's opposite number, Bordeaux's Laurent Blanc, to offer a frank assessment of the demands of this competition. "It's easier when you've got the millions of pounds that Chelsea have behind them," said the former France defender, also preparing for his first game in the competition as a coach. "Even I might be able to put together a team that could win the European Cup with that money behind me. They'll need to win it to be considered a major force. And that's their main aim, isn't it?
"But, in spite of the money, they've still not managed to win the Champions League, which just shows how difficult it is to win this competition. What English clubs did last year was a demonstration that their league has become the best in Europe, technically and financially. There's a huge potential for English clubs to dominate European football for a while yet, and it's hard to see who can stop them. England is a dream destination for a manager or a coach but, with all these foreign owners coming in, maybe it's getting into a situation here where the managers are becoming almost like puppets."
Chelsea should face few difficulties in the group stage. Bordeaux will attempt to frustrate tonight - their domestic form is inconsistent and they have never scored in England. Scolari should adjust quickly to the demands of the competition, having twice won the South American equivalent, the Copa Libertadores.
Didier Drogba is suspended tonight - a legacy of last year's final - but Michael Ballack is close to fitness after a foot problem and John Terry is available despite his dismissal at Manchester City on Saturday. Chelsea will learn today if their appeal against that decision has been upheld.
The captain's availability for Sunday's visit of Manchester United is on the line. "It's down to the FA to make a judgment," said Scolari.
• Guardian Service
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