Guus Hiddink has edged towards a second stint as interim manager at Chelsea after holding talks with Stamford Bridge bosses and could be announced as Jose Mourinho’s successor on Saturday.
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The 69-year-old Dutch boss arrived in London on Friday to meet with Chelsea chiefs over a short-term role to replace Mourinho. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich arrived at the club’s Cobham base, observing training but also overseeing negotiations with former Holland manager Hiddink.
Abramovich reportedly told players he did not want to sack Mourinho before laying out his reasons while also confirming Hiddink will take over as caretaker boss.
Hiddink has stepped into the Stamford Bridge breach before, after Luiz Felipe Scolari’s sacking in 2009, going on to win the FA Cup and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Hiddink told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf he would listen to Chelsea’s proposals before deciding whether to return to the club.
“I want to get some good insight before I make my decision,” said Hiddink. “I want as much information as possible. Chelsea are in a bad situation and there are reasons for that.
“Whether or not I’m visiting their next match depends on my first conversation. Then I’ll decide if I should stay in London longer.”
Mourinho left his Chelsea post on Thursday, just seven months on from guiding the Blues to the Premier League title but also after suffering nine defeats in 16 league matches this term.
Hiddink would appear to be Chelsea’s preferred caretaker appointment while the likes of Pep Guardiola, Diego Simeone and Antonio Conte are reported to be potential long-term successors to Mourinho.
A look at Guus Hiddink’s record at #CFC #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/7Zb991Mq9e
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) December 18, 2015
Well-travelled Dutch veteran Hiddink is viewed as the perfect antidote to the dressing-room discontent that has coincided with Chelsea’s decline from defending champions into relegation battlers.
Former England captain John Terry expressed his regret at Mourinho’s exit on social media on Friday morning, as the Premier League came to terms with the colourful Chelsea boss’ departure.
“Thank you doesn’t seem enough. Sad sad day,” Terry posted on Instagram. “Gonna miss you Boss. The very best I have EVER worked with, unbelievable memories together.”
Chelsea’s former assistant manager Ray Wilkins branded Hiddink “absolutely perfect” to step in and arrest the Blues’ slump between now and the end of the season.
“As an interim manager, he would love the challenge, I’m sure,” Wilkins said on talkSPORT. “He would be the one person I would say would be absolutely perfect to come in to the end of the season and straighten them out.”
Another of Hiddink’s former assistants Rene Meulensteen believes the Dutchman brings a safe pair of hands to Stamford Bridge.
“Guus has always been a modern-thinking coach but at the end of the day you still deal with humans and that is one of his biggest assets – he gets the noses of everyone in the room pointing in the same direction,” said Meulensteen, who briefly worked with Hiddink at Russian Premier League club Anzhi in 2013.
“It was a short-lived period with him at Anzhi but it was time well spent. I am sure he will do well because he will be a safe pair of hands.”
Football Federation Australia had earlier posted a statement on its website congratulating their ex-boss Hiddink on his new challenge.
Hiddink managed Australia at the 2006 World Cup, helping the team reach the second round. The official Socceroos Twitter feed also announced: “Our former boss has taken charge at @ChelseaFC – Good luck Guus!”
First team coach Steve Holland will take charge of today’s Premier League clash with Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.
