World Cup winner Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked by Chelsea on Monday after only seven months of coaching at Stamford Bridge.

The Brazilian, who took the post in the summer, was axed within 48 hours after Chelsea's 0-0 home draw with Hull City left their Premier League title hopes in serious jeopardy.

The news came as a surprise to many although a poor run of performance has made Chelsea fans impatient with the 60-year-old, who led Brazil to the world cup glory in 2002.

"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club today with immediate effect," said a statement on the club's website (www.chelseafc.com).

"The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager. Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon.

"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season. In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now."

Chelsea have started searching for a new manager and assistant coach Ray Wilkins will "take charge of the team on a temporary basis".

Scolari's agent Acaz Fellegger revealed that it was the club owner Roman Abramovich's decision to get rid of the Brazilian.

"It seems that Abramovich made the decision," Felleger told Lance newspaper's website.

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

Scolari was the fourth consecutive casualty under Abramovich's regime with Claudio Ranieri the first to leave since the Russian millionaire arrived in 2003.

But the sacking of the former Portugal's coach could be costly for Chelsea. The club could pay as much as 15 million pounds in compensation with his unfinished three-year contract understood to be worth 6.25 million a year.

In a statement via Fellegger, Scolari expressed regrets of not having longer time in the club and confirmed that he would soon be talking to the media.

"It was a very valuable experience," he said, "I'm sorry that it has not been a longer-lasting relationship. I wish Chelsea luck in the three competitions in which they are taking part."

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

Scolari came to Stanford Bridge following a six-year successful spell in charge of Portugal, who he led to the final of Euro 2004 and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup.

He enjoyed an impressive start with six wins and two draws from his first eight league games. But results, and their home form in particular, became deteriorating.

Having dropped 16 points at Stamford Bridge this season, Chelsea are now fourth in the league, seven points behind leaders Manchester United.

Scolari is the eighth Premier League manager to leave this season after Tony Adams was dismissed from Portsmouth earlier on Monday.

(Xinhua  News Agency Feburary 10, 2009)