NEWS: LUIZ FELIPE Scolari claims a number of Chelsea players did not respect him and his training methods during his ill-fated eight-month stint at Stamford Bridge.

The 60-year-old Brazilian, who is currently coaching Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, singled out the behaviour of Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, Germany midfielder Michael Ballack and Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech as unacceptable.

Scolari, who took over the Chelsea hot-seat last July and was sacked in February, told O Globonewspaper: "The real owners of football at the moment are the players. The coach, in most European clubs, has no strength to contradict them.

“The people sacked are always the coaches. The main players already know this. That was my problem at Chelsea. Drogba, Ballack and Cech did not accept my training methods or my demands.”

The former Brazil and Portugal boss, meanwhile, believes Cristiano Ronaldo will get on well with fellow Real Madrid new boy Kaka but reckons Raul is still the main man at the Bernabeu.

“Kaka is a strange player because of what he does both on and off the field,” Scolari said of his countryman.

“That guy is a strange jewel. Despite having gained big fame and money, he keeps doing his best on the pitch like a youngster.

“I am sure Cristiano Ronaldo and he will get on very well with each other. Cristiano has nothing to do with the conceited image everybody has of him. I think both of them will be big friends.

“The problem Real Madrid have is Raul. He is a veteran and is still the boss in the dressingroom, so woe betide anyone he doesn’t like – including the coach.”

Scolari wants to return to Brazil after the end of his Bunyodkor contract in December 2010. He plans to coach there for a while before retiring, and claims he has already had interest from his homeland.

“My contract lasts one year and a half, but every six months we’ll sit down and discuss things,” he said of his deal with the Uzbek outfit. “Both they and I can decide not to continue. They want me to coach their national team but nothing is decided yet.

“Rivaldo, the big player of our team, told me it was great to do a very good job because he knows the under-20 team of the country and he told me there are a few players who are very good on the ball, who have good futures,” he said.

“I’ll be back (in Brazil) in one year and a half. I will work there as a coach for two more years and that’s it. I’ll change job or retire.

“Palmeiras wanted me to sign a pre-contract for the day I return to Brazil, but I rejected it. When I am back, I want to be free to decide the best thing at that moment.

“Also, there was a Sao Paulo director who called my agent because he wanted my phone number.”