Brazilian coach Scolari steps down

Rio de Janeiro:

Soccer coach Luiz Felipe Scolari who led Brazil to their fifth World Cup win in June resigned on Friday and said he wanted to coach in Europe. The man known as Big Phil, who has collected titles throughout his successful, though often controversial, career then promised that any club that employed him would be rewarded with victories. "I have spoken to the president of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation and in our conversation, I wanted to have a dialogue between friends - because I consider him a friend. I expressed to him all the difficulties I would encounter if I stayed on as coach of the team," said Scholari. Brazil's soccer confederation will now have to choose a successor to guide the national team to the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.