Is Scolari Feeling The Strain?

I read a couple of articles yesterday about some things Scolari has been saying lately and I’m not sure now whether it’s him who’s confused or me.

 

You see, Ray Wilkins, who seems to be putting his foot in it a little more than usual lately, had hinted the Chelsea boss is finding life a lot tougher at Chelsea than he’d anticipated.

 

Ahead of our crucial Champions League game at home to CFR Cluj tonight, Luiz Felipe Scolari insists the game is not that big a deal, he stated: "This is not the most important game since I joined. This is one more game. It is important for our qualification for the next phase, but it is the same in other games. It is three points and we need to win."

 

As for any pressure he might be under, Scolari said: "Do you know how many people live in Brazil? It’s 180 million and I was in charge. You think here is pressure? It is zero pressure. Pressure was when I was coach of the national team because everyone in Brazil is the coach. If we lose, we lose.

 

"Maybe, it is possible. If I lose tomorrow and we are out of the Champions League I won’t feel good. This is life though, this is football."

 

So that’s clear enough—the man does not feel under pressure. But now for the confusing bit, because in another article Scolari said: "When we lose or draw I feel it more than the players. I sleep very well before the game but when we lose I find it impossible to sleep afterwards because of the feeling. 

 

"Sometimes I talk to my wife, sometimes I go to sleep in the other room because I change my position and my wife can’t sleep. So I go there and watch TV until 3am in the morning with the feeling, "Who is wrong? Is it me that was wrong or the players?" It is difficult. 

 

"I never relax even if we win the game because I need to think, “OK, we won this game but for the next game they will play differently, they will play another system. "We need to be in training tomorrow—who is injured and who is not?" I am thinking every day about the next day. It’s difficult for the coach when you have so much competition."

 

So is he feeling the strain or not? I still can’t quite work it out, but at least his wife gets the bed to herself.