London: Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari believes that the London football club is not ready to win trophies this season because the players are operating at only 50 percent of their potential.
The 60-year-old Brazilian said that some top players were producing as little as 35 percent of their capacity.
"I am a good man, but I am not a fool. If you ask me if this team are ready to win things then the answer is no. They are not ready to win a trophy and they know this. They might not say things publicly, but they know we're not ready," said Scolari, stopping short of naming the worst offenders.
"In our last five games we played at 50 percent of our potential. Some players have been at 75 to 80 percent, others have been at 35 to 40 percent. But the balance for our team in the last five games has been 50 percent," he was quoted as saying in The Times of London.
In the immediate aftermath of Sunday's 0-3 defeat to Manchester United, Scolari blamed himself for his decision to bring on Nicolas Anelka, the forward, at half-time that exposed his side in midfield. But after reviewing the match on video he believes that the blame should be shared.
"If Chelsea lose a game it's not just me, it's the whole of the team. All the players have had their chances. I have given every player at least five or six games to impress. We will start with one team against Southend, and maybe I will start with the same team against Stoke City. But I need answers from the players," Scolari said.
Scolari dismissed concerns over his future, insinuating that he would not care if he was sacked at the end of the season.
"If I lose my job I'll have another job. Maybe tomorrow, maybe after one or two years. I've worked for 25 years. It's not my business to say this or think about this. The people, the board, the club, must look at what we do every day and say something," he said.
