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Hiddink set to become temporary Blues boss
Marco Giacomelli10.02.09
Guus Hiddink is set to take over as manager of Chelsea until the end of the season.
The club were today given permission by Russia to have talks with their coach less than 24 hours after Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked.
Hiddink insists he will see out his contract with Russia, which runs until the 2010 World Cup, but is keen to move to Stamford Bridge temporarily because of his close links with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
His appointment would allow Chelsea to make a move in the summer for club legends Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke, who have revived West Ham since taking over in September. Hiddink said today: “I have to admit it's a complicated situation involving the Russian national team and Chelsea. This is an exceptional situation. If it was any other club aside from Chelsea my answer would be a straight No'. But Chelsea is different because I have good relations with the club owner. So I would like to help Chelsea in this situation if I could.
“This would be a full managerial role, a day-to-day job. But this would only be for the next two or three months until the end of the season.”
Russia have two matches before the end of Chelsea's season — World Cup qualifiers at home to Azerbaijan on 28 March and in Liechtenstein four days later.
The Blues are due to visit Tottenham and Newcastle on the weekends aroundthose two international fixtures but the Dutchman, who has juggled international and club commitments before, is sure he can cope.
“Of course when Russia play I would go there to coach them during that [international window] as there won't be any League games during that time,” said Hiddink. “A couple of years ago I coached Australia and PSV, so I'm familiar with the situation and what it takes.”
He also spelt out his commitment to helping Russia qualify for next year's World Cup in South Africa.
“I will not leave my job with the national team — it's out of the question,” said the 62‑year‑old. “When I took the Russia job it was a long-term project and I don't like to leave it unfinished.”
In a statement Chelsea said: “The Russian Football Union has granted Chelsea permission to speak to Guus Hiddink about becoming temporary coach until the end of the season while continuing to be in charge of the national team.”
With Hiddink insisting he won't desert Russia, Chelsea still need a permanent boss but the players have already told the hierarchy they want Zola and Clarke.
All efforts to prise the pair away from Upton Park will be fiercely resisted by West Ham's board and Zola is also known to be keen to see through the job he started last September.
However, the pull of Chelsea, where he spent seven years and was voted the greatest player in the club's history by supporters in 2003, will be enormous.
The lure of a return to the Bridge will also be huge for Clarke, who only left in September after being sidelined following Scolari's arrival. The Scot is hugely respected by senior players John Terry and Frank Lampard and played a key role in the club's two Premier League title-winning seasons under Jose Mourinho.
Zola, though, is a fiercely loyal man and turned down overtures to return before when Abramovich took over the club six years ago. Then, he had only just moved to Cagliari and was reluctant to walk out on the Italian side.
Yet his lawyer Fulvio Marrucco said today: “It is very difficult to say if anything will happen, but Chelsea is a special place for Gianfranco Zola. He is very happy at West Ham and still thanks them for giving him the opportunity to be a coach in the Premier League.”
Reader views (29)
If Chelsea are really looking for a temporary appointment who wont be phased by the threat of failure or the sack then who better than the champion temporary manager Kevin Keegan.
He will give the Chelsea management, team and fans what they deserve. Nothing !
- Tom Fitz, Loughborough
Clearly Roman is a true blue but has no idea of how to run an English football club. He obviously did not know how to handle Jose but also did not like him being so popular. He brought us success so what does RB want? I sometimes wonder if Kenyon knows what he is doing and I am suspicious as to why he left MU to join Chelsea.
Scolari and Grant were not the right people for the job. They had no idea how to change things when it was all going wrong. Only Jose can bring success back. Hiddink? No, I don't think so. It's clutching at straws again.
- David Bazely, Tibshelf, England
We are gerting like Real Madrid now, firing managers every year. Mr wenger has been at Asrenal through their ups and downs, same with Mr Ferguson and Mr Benitez. A club must support its manager and give hime time to grow and build a team, Mr Scholari was not given that time. Saying this, I was not convinced he was the best choice and a manager with recent club experiance must be favored ahead of a coach in charge of a national teams, as they are two different style of coaching; One has the ability to pick and choose stars while the other has to work with what he has.
- Nick Nack Paddy Mac, Kilburn, London UK
Since when have players had the brains to decide who they want as manager, I doubt if half them know the laws of the game.
I daresay Zola and Clark have a contract to honour.
You have to build success not buy it.
- Malc, London,England
Abramovich park your ego and get the Special One back - I've still not got over his departure. I'm sure if the Russian went on bended knees and asked nicely, Jose would return to the club he loved and who love him. If this fails then I'd more than welcome Zola and Clarke back to the fold. However, both are men of integrity and probably won't break their contracts to get lured back to Stamford Bridge only to find they're booted out within 2 months after Abramovich throws another paddy. Scolari is laughing all the way to the bank and we are the laughing stock of the premiership. I've no hard feelings against big Phil but he clearly wasn't the man for the job. Hughes & Clarke maybe? But then, would anyone be fool enough to take on this job?
- Sharon, London
Until Abramovitch stops letting the monumentally over-rated John Terry dictate what goes on at Chelsea, he will fail to get what he wants. Managers who are constantly undermined will not succeed, however brilliant they are.
Ranieri, Mourinho and Grant must be laughing!
- Lewis, London
Chelsea pick managers like Andy in Little Britain - "i want that one". They can get any manager they want in the world because they have the money to buy anyone in, but no-one will be given time to make the team their own and so they will be gone again in a year, with a wallet full of cash. Maurinho, Grant, Scolari, none of them were failures. They didn't exactly take the team and send them on their way to relegation did they?
Say Chelsea wanted Martin o'Neill. If Martin wasn't a man of integrity or was at a club who weren't patient enough to give him time to develop his own team, he could choose to go to Chelsea, expect to get the sack within a year, pocket several million pounds and then go back to villa to carry on with the brilliant job he is doing there at a club who understand how football works.
The expectations of a manager are high at Chelsea, in fact they are so high and unacheievable that for a manager the only target is to stay in the job for a year and take the money and run. It's not a poisoned chalice, Chelsea have become a joke club to work for and so the managers don't have to even bother trying to meet the clubs expectations, they know they will be out of a job in a year but much richer. Then they can go and manage at a proper club where there are realistic expectations.
- Paul, london
Please, not Grant back again!! Things are depressing enough... Ancelotti failed to qualify AC Milan for the Champions League and doesn't inspire me.If we can't get Jose back - and that's who every Chelsea fan wants - Frank Rijkaard is available and would fit the bill.
- Peter Perchard, Epsom, Surrey
Scolari is not a great manager.
- Leo, Santos - Brazil
If Scolari failed because he could not make the transition from international to club management why will Hiddink be any different? Top managers and top players will now keep their distance from Chelsea as they won't be able to trust Abramovich and Kenyon
- Richard Moseley, budapest, hungary
Dont worry lads Ray 'super' wilkins will lead us to glory.....groan!!
- David Merker, Putney
They will never replace him with somebody better,goodgye Chelsea.
- G.Diamond, Romford Essex
Who would take on the Chelsea job?. Any half decent manager who wants to be employed for less than a year, and then pick up a multi million pound exit fee. Easy money really. Chelsea still havn't learned, you CANNOT buy success in the Premier league.
- Pete, South of England
Thank goodness - I'm not sure he could handle the intensity/work ethic instilled by Mourinho and had clearly lost the respect of the players.
They'd stopped playing for him.
Kenyon better get it right this time or the knives might well be out for him.
- Ian Whybrow, Bromley, UK
Please, please, give Ray "Uncle Fester" Wilkins the job full-time.
- Paul, london
This is madness !!
- Michael, Surbiton, Surrey
Another knee jerk reaction as said above. Back as far as 1978 with Eddie McCreadie, Rudd Gullit, Luca Vialli they have all been treated badly. Whatever happened to the philosophy of giving a manager three years to build his team and if he had not won anything then let him go?
- David W, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
it's not Scolari who should have been sacked but some of the lazy dolts who call themselves footballers and do not give a damn about the team. What was Scolari to do - no new money given the downturn just half a team taht tries - Saturday was a good example - Terry,Lampard all tried some of the others obviusle were there just for the paycheck
- Simon, london
He will get paid well to leave. Life could be tough!
- Dan, London, UK
Abramovich hasn't got a clue about football!! Why would any manager want to go there now? And your title challenge is over for this year.
- Jd, London
Harry Redknapps your ideal man.
- David, London
Complete maddness... World class manager and he's shown the door.
This all started 2 seasons ago when Mourinho was looking like he was unhappy. Chelsea have never recovered from that.
Grant gets to the final day of the season still in the running, the final of the champions league and carling cup, and he's shown the door.
Whats the point in managing Chelsea?
- Mark, st albans
I cant believe this sacking, as Scolari hasnt had any time in which to make an impression on the team. Its simply absurd. I suppose Rednapp will be next as he only won 1 of the last 9 league games !
- Rob Chelsea, Chelski
Chelsea is a big club and needs a big name, preferably someone who knows football, too! David Beckham fits the bill perfectly.
- Jack Swift, London, UK
What a mess. Started when they sacked "The Special One". Downhill ever since. The club is being run by a bunch of overpaid idiots. If their decision making had been half as good as they thought it had been we would still be in half the mess.
- Jonathan, Totteridge. England
Can we now have Mourinho back please
- Sharon, London
No worries Phil, there is a good job at Portsmouth!
- Michael, London
Can't say I'm surprised although it seems another knee jerk reaction. Your in the top 5 and you get the sack. Who would want to be a premier manager ?
A bit sad to see him go though.
- Glennda, Berkhamsted UK
'It would be a dream job for me. As I boy when I wasn't at Highbury, Upton Park and White Hart Lane I was always on the terraces at the Bridge. It is my spirtual home' H Redknapp 2 minutes ago.
- Martin, Kew, UK
