LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was delighted his Portugal team qualified for the European Championship, its third straight international tournament under the Brazilian.
He was less pleased by the questions about the quality of his team’s performances, losing his temper and storming out of a post-match news conference after Portugal’s scoreless draw against visiting Finland on Wednesday.
"Portugal qualified and I’m stupid? I’m the one who’s no good?" Scolari said after reporters questioned Portugal’s patchy record in its Euro qualifying campaign.
"What more do you want? We dominated the game … I’m no good? I’m a bad coach? Why are you tearing me apart?" he asked before walking out. "I’m doing for Portugal what I never did for Brazil, and this is what I get in return?"
Scolari, who is among the favourites to replace fired England coach Steve McClaren, has a contract with Portugal through Euro 2008.
He led the Portuguese to the final of Euro 2004, where they lost on home turf to Greece, and to the semifinals of last year’s World Cup. He previously had guided Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title.
Needing just a point against Finland to advance, Portugal kept a firm grip on the game until a tense final 10 minutes when the Finns rattled the home defense.
Scolari’s tactics and team choices during the Euro campaign have repeatedly drawn criticism. Portugal won only half its games, chalking up a 7-6-1 record and 24 goals.
The coach, though, had established high expectations. The Portuguese were unbeaten in their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, racking up nine wins and three draws and tying with the Czech Republic in the European zone for the highest number of goals scored (35).
In September, the Portuguese threw their Euro 2008 qualification into doubt by drawing 2-2 against Poland and 1-1 against Serbia in the space of four days.
Scolari’s two-month touchline ban imposed by UEFA for scuffling with Serbia defender Ivica Dragutinovic added to the gloom.
The newspaper headlines at the time reflected fans’ growing disaffection with the Brazilian: "Scolari loses his charm" and "The Scolari era is drawing to a close."
A miserable performance in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Armenia brought jeers from the home crowd.
Scolari has defended his record, noting six of his first-team players missed the last two matches through injury.
He is also rebuilding the team following the retirement of mainstays Luis Figo and Pauleta after the World Cup. He has selected 40 different players since then.
The outburst at Wednesday’s news conference was not the first time the prickly Brazilian has crossed swords with the media.
In 2004 he was widely criticized for a foul-mouthed tirade against reporters that was recorded by television cameras.