Former Chelsea coach signs with Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor

TASHKENT - On June 9, former coach of Brazil’s and Portugal’s national teams Luiz Felipe Scolari signed an 18-month contract with the Uzbek football club Bunyodkor, following his departure as manager of Chelsea.
"Uzbek football is creating its own success story with Bunyodkor and its remarkable dynamism", Scolari said. "Completion of a new football stadium outside Tashkent next March will open a new era for the club ... I know that I am in the right place at the right time and with the right team", the new coach declared.
Others have similar hopes for the team, currently Uzbekistan's strongest. Executive Director Tavakkal Ismailov said he hopes that Bunyodkor will easily make it through qualifying rounds to take part in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Created four years ago, Bunyodkor has twice played for the Premier League's national championship, garnering the top slot in 2008 and nabbing the national cup. Server Dzheparov, member of both Bunyodkor and the Uzbek national team and the top scorer in the playoffs, was named both Uzbekistan and Asian 2008 Footballer of the Year, the same season that Bunyodkor made the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League under the tutelage of another Brazilian coach, Zico. The club has also landed famous Brazilian midfielder Rivaldo, who has made a late-career move to Uzbekistan.
The club's coffers, healthy by regional standards, have been filled thanks to magnate and football buff Mirodil Dzhalilov, head of the Zeromax petroleum company. Last year, Bunyodkor inked an agreement with Spanish team Barcelona to allow Uzbek footballers training time in Spain with some of that country's top players.
Scolari brings a number of successes to the team, including coaching the 2002 World Cup-winning team from Brazil and the Portuguese side that took silver in the 2004 UEFA championships. In 2008, Scolari moved to Chelsea but was forced out in February 2009, handing the management over to Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.
Besides managing the team, Scolari will also oversee Uzbekistan's Youth Football Academy. Commenting on his new role, Scolari said he was impressed by the Uzbekistan's government social investment into developing the sport and that he is looking forward to his new role as a youth coach. The academy has 400 spots for school-age students who will pursue their high school studies while receiving intensive football training. Uzbekistan will invite seven more foreign coaches to train its football stars of the future.