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Scolari to Coach England

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was offered last week a 7-year deal to mange the UK`s national football team. The Football Association confirmed that talks were held with the 57-year-old coach and his appointment should be announced during the week. Scolari addressed officials for the Portuguese football federation at a dinner and "He laid out contracts for five...and seven years on the table," the Brazilian was quoted as saying on The Times website.

Such a long contract would mark a departure from the recent trend of offering contracts of up to four years based on World Cup and European Championship cycles. Scolari is believed to be considering his options having been offered a package believed to be worth ?3million a year.
It is claimed a sticking point could be that Scolari may want parity with outgoing manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who earns a salary of ?4?million. FA chief executive Brian Barwick was given permission to speak to Scolari in March after FA chairman Geoff Thompson contacted his opposite number in the Portuguese football federation Gilberto Madail.

Scolari is under contract as Portugal coach until after the World Cup and reports in that country suggested he is also still to agree the timing of his appointment. Scolari`s emergence as the leading candidate came after the FA`s six-man selection panel failed to agree on a domestic successor to Eriksson. Arsenal vice-chairman and leading FA board member David Dein had been backing Scolari since the start of the process, having had links with him for several years.