No mercy on second best at Bridge of sighs

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI puffed out his cheeks, shrugged his shoulders and rolled his twinkling eyes towards the ceiling.

Chelsea’s new manager, breezing through his inaugural press conference at a plush Surrey hotel last July, had just been asked if Avram Grant’s sacking for finishing runner-up in three competitions meant that only a clean sweep of trophies would protect him.

“All coaches in the world need to win,” Scolari replied. “I am at one of the big clubs in the world and, sure, I need to win. If I don’t, it will be the same as for Avram Grant.”