Thursday, February 12, 2009

Chelsea confirm Hiddink

Dutchman set to coach Chelsea until season’s end while still helming Russia
The Guardian
LONDON — Chelsea have appointed Russia manager Guus Hiddink as their temporary coach until the end of the season, the Premier League club announced here yesterday.
.“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm Guus Hiddink will become temporary coach until the end of the season,” a club statement said.
.“He is due to meet the players later this week.
.“The club would like to take this opportunity to thank the Russian Football Union for their understanding and cooperation.”
.Hiddink, who will remain in charge of the Russian national side, takes over from Luiz Felipe Scolari after the Brazilian was sacked as Chelsea’s manager on Monday.
.The Dutchman is now set to attend Chelsea’s FA Cup tie against Watford on Saturday with a watching brief. Scolari’s assistant manager Ray Wilkins, a former Chelsea captain, now seems set to pick the side for the Cup tie against Watford.
.Hiddink’s first game in charge will be the Blues’ Premiership match at Aston Villa — the side that have leapfrogged the Blues into third place in the table — on Feb 21.
.The 62-year-old, who knows Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovichwell from his time with Russia, couldyet become a permanent fixture at the London club.
.However, he has repeatedly stressed he remains committed to taking Russia to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.
.“I will not quit my work with Russia’s national side,” Hiddink, who in 2002 stunned the football world by steering unfancied co-hosts South Korea to the semi-finals of the World Cup, told the Itar-Tass agency on Tuesday.
.According to a report in British newspaper The Sun yesterday, Hiddink could earn up to £2.5 million ($5.43 million) in his four months as Chelsea’s temporary manager.
.His basic salary at Chelsea, on top of what he draws as coach of Russia’s national side, is said to be £1.5 million and a £500,000 bonus for winning the league.
.The same bonus would apply for performances in the FA Cup and Premier League.
.A dressing room divided
.Scolari, who guided Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002, was sacked after the Blues had slipped down the table to fourth place in the Premier League and seven points behind leaders Manchester United.
.On Tuesday night (yesterday morning, Singapore time), club captain John Terry hinted at what awaits Hiddink at Stamford Bridge: A dressing room divided, which wrecked the Scolari’s brief tenure in west London.
.Speaking ahead of England’s friendly in Spain last night (this morning, Singapore time), Terry was reluctant to talk about the upheaval gripping his club but intimated what Hiddink will effectively inherit.
.“I’m very shocked by what’s happened,” he said. “Scolari had my support. Two or three other players will say exactly the same thing, I’m sure. Unfortunately we weren’t playing well and it falls on his head.
.“At the end of the day it’s about results. That’s unfortunate for Mr Scolari, but the overall picture needs to be looked at. The powers at the club need to look at that.”

source: The Guardian

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