SOCCER ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:ROMAN ABRAMOVICH acted ruthlessly by sacking Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager of Chelsea yesterday barely seven months into the job after deeming that the team's recent stuttering form, which has left them fourth in the Premier League and clinging to a Champions League qualification place, was jeopardising the whole vision of his "Chelsea project".

Scolari, whose spokesman last night suggested the club had not sufficiently backed his client in the transfer market, was informed of the owner’s decision yesterday in a meeting, described as “short and amicable”, at the club’s training ground with Abramovich, director Eugene Tenenbaum and chairman Bruce Buck at around 3pm.

That was prompted by Saturday’s frustrating 0-0 draw with Hull City at Stamford Bridge, a result which left Chelsea with only six wins in 13 home games.

The search for a fifth manager in as many years has begun with the club wanting a quick appointment and seeking to hire a “firefighter” initially on a short-term basis.

Frank Rijkaard, the former Barcelona coach, is in contention, together with Roberto Mancini. A short-list is being drawn up and Abramovich would ideally like to consider Guus Hiddink, who took Russia to the European Championship semi-final stage, though the Dutchman refused to discuss his future when contacted last night.

“I have no news for you,” Hiddink said at the Russian squad’s training camp in Turkey. “I’m not concerned with what has been said about me elsewhere, I’m working here now.”

While there is a sense of surprise at the timing of the dismissal given the team are still in the Champions League and FA Cup, concern had been growing behind the scenes as the side slipped seven points behind Manchester United in the title race. Unrest had swept through the stands at Stamford Bridge as the team toiled against Hull on Saturday, with Scolari enduring chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing”.

One banner was unfurled championing the former Chelsea players Gianfranco Zola and Roberto di Matteo, though neither is in contention at this stage of their fledgling managerial careers.

But more damaging for the Brazilian was the reaction of some senior players to the malaise which saw the side win only four of their last 12 league matches, and muster a solitary point from five encounters with the elite quartet at the top of the division.

Frank Lampard and John Terry had spoken with the 60-year-old to request more intensity in training earlier this season, and, while they are understood to have remained broadly supportive, other players within the set-up had become disillusioned. Those misgivings were eventually mirrored in the boardroom.

Scolari was less than seven months into a two-year contract and had added only Deco (€9 million), Mineiro (free) and Ricardo Quaresma, on loan, to his squad, an outlay that contrasts sharply with Jose Mourinho. Grant had at least spent €17 million on Nicolas Anelka a year ago.

The Brazilian will be paid up the remaining 18 months of his contract, totalling around €8 million, and reacted with dignity last night, issuing a statement in which he expressed gratitude at having been offered the chance to manage in England, suggesting he had had a “marvellous time” at the club, and adding: “I wish Chelsea luck in the three competitions in which they are involved.”

His spokesman, Acaz Fellegger, hinted the Brazilian had been the victim of broken promises after seeing the global financial crisis frustrate his attempts to transform the club’s playing squad.

“Everyone knows (when Scolari took over) he needed to make the team younger,” said Fellegger. “The same team had been together for four years. This was the deal with the board of directors. This process was started: eight players left the team at the start of the season and Deco came in.

“Robinho was also supposed to come in but that didn’t happen, and others were supposed to follow during the January transfer window. Then the (financial) crisis came along and interrupted this process. Some players got injured and the results were not satisfactory. The decision (to sack Scolari) came from the guy at the top.”

A spokesman for Abramovic declined to comment last night.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins will take charge of the team for the immediate future, initially for Saturday’s FA Cup match at Watford.

Scolari intends to remain in London until the summer with the view to securing another job in European football, having endured the sack for only the second time in 27 years as a manager.

• Guardian Service

Reaction

"I am really surprised. It is a shock so soon – he only took the job seven months ago. He is a man of great experience; he took Brazil to World Cup winners – and was the obvious choice to replace Avram Grant. It is a sign of the times. There is absolutely no patience in the world now. It just seems to be more volatile now. You can't always blame the press – but they play a part. The way the tabloids are – competing against the internet and Sky News – there is a sensationalism every time someone has a bad result. There was great expectation at Chelsea that they were going to do well this year – and it is only this last month they have had a bad spell. The judgment really is only on the last month."

– Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson