WITH ITS murky canals, disused mills and more ghostly mines than in a Scooby-Doo box-set, Wigan is not a place where newly-weds holiday. True, the JJB Stadium houses an Italian restaurant, but it is a shrine to ruggedness rather than romance, full of pictorial reminders of the town's rugby league heritage. Where better to put Luiz Felipe Scolari's honeymoon with Chelsea under the microscope?
As Brazil's coach when they recaptured the World Cup in 2002, Scolari is too shrewd to believe the Premier League will always be a stroll in the park, as his introduction to European club football was last Sunday. When Chelsea destroyed FA Cup holde
rs Portsmouth, the 4-0 win was topped off by a goal from Deco, the designated catalyst in the new manager's blueprint to squeeze greater entertainment value from Roman Abramovich's investment.
Celtic supporters, recalling the Brazil-born playmaker's relentless diving in Porto's colours during the UEFA Cup final five years ago, are constantly surprised to see Deco upright. Today, when Chelsea visit Wigan Athletic, the beaten Champions League finalists will learn how well Scolari's £8m signing from Barcelona stands up to the rigours of an away match against a no-frills, no-fancy dans outfit now under Steve Bruce's astute management and in their fourth top-flight season.
It was Wigan who paved the way for the arrival of "Big Phil" by snatching a stoppage-time draw at Stamford Bridge in April when Avram Grant still harboured realistic ambitions of thwarting Manchester United at home and in Europe. Emile Heskey's equaliser effectively confirmed safety for a side that had looked doomed until Bruce took over in November. It also enraged Abramovich, who did not splash nearly £600m to be held by such upstarts.
Poor old Grant, last heard of (in a pre-season call to Sir Alex Ferguson) in Namibia. He took the flak that night, not Petr Cech or John Terry. Yet when Chelsea had put six goals past Manchester City or won 4-0 at West Ham, neither players nor pundits gave him any credit. Curious then that the same scoreline against Portsmouth was seen as proof of the impact of a "proper manager", to quote Terry's typically graceless and somewhat sycophantic phrase. When it was followed by Manchester United's failure to defeat Newcastle, why, Scolari already had one hand on the League trophy. With a mere 37 games and nine months to go, such responses could serve as a definition of the phrase "rush to judgment".
Whatever the merits or faults of Grant, and Jose Mourinho before him, two points appear beyond dispute in assessing Chelsea's prospects. One is that against Portsmouth they did not simply shut up shop after going ahead as they tended to during Mourinho's time, Deco bringing elements of fantasy to their football that the Bridge last saw in Gianfranco Zola's pomp. The other is that they were desperately close to United in both major competitions under the supposedly dunderheaded Israeli. So it should scarcely be surprising if they challenge again, especially if Scolari lands his compatriot Robinho from Real Madrid.
Deco, provided he can be as influential once the heavier pitches and opposition ball-winners kick in, will lend a welcome dash of the unpredictable to Chelsea's midfield. The Portugal international's influence in terms of lifting other players was most conspicuous in the display of Nicolas Anelka, a genuine talent but frequent under-achiever and suspect team player. If Scolari can help Le Sulk maintain focus, that will be top-class management in action.
Just as important as Deco's dancing feet, if not as easy on the eye, was the contribution of John Obi Mikel. Chelsea let Claude Makelele return to France during the close season, a decision that could have left Scolari's engine room unbalanced. The Nigerian, 14 years younger than Makelele, showed an ability to read the game beyond his years when breaking up attacks. His distribution is also more creative than that of his metronomic but cautious predecessor.
Where Scolari scores over his rivals – arguably even Ferguson, certainly Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez – is in the depth of his squad. There are effectively two players for each position, which should preclude the sort of selection crisis that is undermining United, as well as easing the pressure of playing every few days, to which Scolari is unaccustomed.
Talk about an embarrassment of riches. Michael Essien, a post-millennium Paul Madeley in his versatility, is poised to return at the JJB, while Didier Drogba will be back next month. The purchase of Jose Bosingwa from Porto, an outstanding right-back, should prevent Essien being wasted in that position.
Chelsea, although unbeaten in 22 Premier League fixtures and undefeated away since December, are unlikely to win as they please today. Wigan's total outlay may have been comparable to the sum Scolari gave Barcelona for Deco, but the genial Bruce showed his shrewdness by leaving Birmingham City at what proved a judicious moment and going back for Wilson Palacios when it became clear that Alex McLeish, in his wisdom, did not want the midfielder.
The much-coveted Palacios, whose dynamism may be a nasty shock for Deco, and Amr Zaki, who scored on a losing debut at West Ham, hail from Honduras and Egypt respectively and have colleagues from Ecuador, Ivory Coast, France, Austria and even England. Scolari once ruled the world, but Wigan, with its international heart and northern soul, may feel like a different planet.
The full article contains 917 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
