Losing Robinho cost Big Phil Chelsea job

Luiz Felipe Scolari believes the failure to sign Robinho last summer was key to his failure to rejuvenate Chelsea's "old" squad.

Robinho joined Manchester City instead as Scolari was only able to sign Deco in the summer and after just seven months in the job has been axed as Chelsea slipped to fourth place in the Premier League. Scolari's spokesman Acaz Fellegger believes it was owner Roman Abramovich's decision to get rid of the Brazilian coach.

Fellegger insists Scolari had the backing of Chelsea's players and the club's chief-executive Peter Kenyon and told Lance! newspaper's website: "It seems that Abramovich made the decision."

"He (Scolari) was not in a comfortable situation despite having the support of the squad and Peter Kenyon.

"The Chelsea squad are old. Felipe tried to rejuvenate it, but unsuccessfully. He asked (the board) to sign Deco and Robinho, but they only brought Deco."

Fellegger added that the the language barrier had not been an issue during his time at Stamford Bridge.

"The English language has never been an issue for him as he has given many interviews in English," he said.

Scolari himself issued a short statement on Fellegger's website, saying: "I wish luck to Chelsea in the three competitions they are involved in.

"I also take this opportunity to confirm that I will keep living in London and I will respond to the media soon."