Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said money matters were only one of his reasons for joining Chelsea after Euro 2008.

Scolari, whose appointment was announced by Chelsea last week, began a news conference on Saturday by making a statement about his move to the English Premier League.

"I would like to close a topic that has already been concluded by both parties," said the Brazilian. "I have to work with the (Portuguese) federation until the end of the tournament.

"(Federation president) Gilberto Madail looked for sponsors but when none came forward he told me I was free to negotiate my future."

Asked whether his decision to join Chelsea was financial he said: "Yes, that is one of the reasons."

But he added: "I'm 59 and I don't want to work as a coach until I'm 70. I want to retire in four or five years, so it was a financial matter but there are other things."

Among those were his family, Scolari saying: "I could offer my son the opportunity to study elsewhere.

"You only get this kind of opportunity once so you take it or leave it, but it was not only financial."

Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported Scolari would earn six million euros a year from a three-year contract with Chelsea, who have not given any details of the deal.

Scolari at first answered questions about the Chelsea announcement and its timing, in the middle of Portugal's participation in Euro 2008, in monosyllables.

To the question of whether it had affected the atmosphere in the squad he said: "No".

To whether the timing was good, he said "Yes". To whether the timing showed a lack of respect to the squad and fans, he said: "No".

However, he then loosened up, adding: "The timing is not going to affect our (team) relationship.

"My assignment will end at the end of the Euro. It would have done so anyway so let's stop talking about this topic."

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