CHELSEA have sacked their World Cup-winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

CHELSEA have sacked their World Cup-winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The announcement that the Brazilian coach, who joined in the summer, would be departing Stamford Bridge, came in a brief statement on the club's website.

The reason give was simply "to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for".

Scolari was appointed as the replacement for Avram Grant who took Chelsea to the Champions League final in Moscow last May only to lose to Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out.

Chelsea also lost out to United in the race for the Premier League title.

Scolari got off to a flying start, guiding Chelsea to the top of the league in the early part of the season. But defeats at home to Chelsea and Arsenal were followed by a string of unimpressive performances and vital points dropped.

Protests followed the scoreless draw at home to Premier League new boys Hull City on Saturday. Two dropped points that saw them fall off the pace in the challenge for the title.

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins has been put in charge of team affairs, with West Ham boss and Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola installed as the favourite to succeed Scolari.