How Roman Abramovich saved Chelsea from Big Phil Scolari

When Roman Abramovich paid Phil Scolari 7.5 million to leave Chelsea in February of 2008, many laughed and said it was another example of Russian billionaire being rash and failing to let his football people do their jobs. Of course, when Guus Hiddink came in, salvaged the season and won the FA Cup, those shouts quieted just a bit, but the jokes about that massive payout persisted.

Now, it seems it was worth every penny, though. Said Scolari in a Brazilian TV interview (via the Guardian):

"I didn't leave Chelsea because of sabotage from the players but it is true that it was difficult to control the dressing room," Scolari said.

"Drogba believed he was the star in the squad and I did have conflicts with him. He wanted to go to a hospital in Paris because of an injury but I said no.

"That was my first problem because [Nicolas] Anelka did well in his absence and scored many goals. But when Drogba came back he wanted to go straight back into the team, but I refused.

"I wanted Robinho but it wasn't possible. I also wanted Abramovich to change Drogba for Adriano at Inter because he was easier to control than Drogba."

So Scolari was the one who wanted Robinho, who was scooped up by Man City just before the transfer deadline for a massive amount of money and quickly decided that h! e hated England and had to get out at all costs. Phil also wanted to swap Didier Drogba -- the man who would go on to be Chelsea's 2009/10 Player of the Year and the Premier League's leading scorer -- for Adriano -- a chronically homesick, overweight and melodramatic alcoholic who repeatedly refused to leave Brazil to report for duty at Inter and Roma before they both eventually dumped him. And Scolari thought he would've been easier to control than Drogba. Because Drogba wanted to go to a hospital in Paris and play as soon as he was healthy. Wow.

After hearing that it's amazing Abramovich didn't pay Phil 70 million to get out even faster.

As if that wasn't enough, one of players Scolari actually did bring in upset the easily upsetable Michael Ballack and created even more tension in the dressing room.

He said Michael Ballack seemed "jealous" of Deco when the Portuguese arrived at the club. "I wanted Deco to work it out with Ballack but it wasn't possible. They didn't speak," Scolari said.

That's impressive management right there. "I wanted them to work it out themselves, but that wasn't possible so, eh, they didn't talk. Whatever." Seriously, 7.5 million make him leave after eight months and stop doing everything he was doing was a steal.