Premier League - Chelsea confirm Hiddink

Eurosport - Thu, 12 Feb 11:09:00 2009

Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Guus Hiddink as their new manager until the end of the season.

Guus Hiddink - Chelsea - 0

The Dutchman was quickly targeted as a replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was sacked on Monday following a poor run of results.

Hiddink, currently in charge of Russia's national side, was given permission by the Russian Football Union to hold talks with Chelsea, and will now combine the two positions.

A statement on Chelsea's official website read: "Chelsea Football Club are delighted to confirm Guus Hiddink will become temporary coach until the end of the season. He is due to meet the players this week.

"The club would like to take this opportunity to thank the Russia Football Union for their understanding and cooperation."

The wheels of the move were put into motion by Blues owner Roman Abramovich, who helps finance Hiddink's role with Russia.

And a short-term deal has been agreed which will see the former PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid boss take charge at Stamford Bridge at least until the conclusion of the current campaign.

"It's to help out a friend. Abramovich is doing so much for Russian football and I want to do something back," Hiddink told Dutch Radio station 538.

"At the end of March there are two qualification matches, then again in June. So it is possible and at the end of the English season it's over.

'Within a few days I will go to London. I expect to be on the pitch next week."

He told Reuters: "It's never enough time to prepare a team in one week but this is an exceptional situation. Chelsea have good players and they should be in top form and that should make my job easier."

Hiddink also said he planned to attend Chelsea's FA Cup fifth round tie at Watford on Saturday.

Reports had suggested the 62-year-old is in line for a £2.5 million pay cheque for his four months in the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

But Hiddink denied his interest in the job was a result of the potentially enormous financial benefits and claimed he does not intend to put pen to paper on a contract.

"I don't have to sign one. It's not a question of money," he said.

Asked if he intended to bring any assistants with him to Stamford Bridge, he replied: "Not at this time."

"I always want to see the situation in the team myself first before making any changes if they have to be made," he added.

Meanwhile, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has been touted as the long-term replacement for Scolari, with the Italian rumoured to be ready to take over from Hiddink in June.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. i dont care about the league table and i really hope­ that the sneaky russian is pulling his money out that­ we can go back to the good old days like in second­ division playing millwall or qpr

    From sean m, on Wed 11 Feb 8:46PM

  2. Donneysbeck, I remember some day you were in such a­ good mood that you turned your bad language and Caps­ into something legible. Since the day you got that ewe­ and talked the bleating language, its only imaginations­ of what you want to mean I wonder. Dont worry since you­ took the name from Danny Welbeck but that picture is­ not very sheepish. I guess you're an arsenal fan.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 8:45PM

  3. Ok, sean M,
    I'm glad that this talk is not about­ tropies according to you but I dont blame you. Why was­ scolari fired? Is it cos he was a sulk? Scolari had­ started strolling the road once walked by morinmouth­ and that road is called walking away from the trophy­ and this means, moving from being league leaders to­ hind rolling down the league table. Being the league­ leader means you stand a better chance to win­ something.
    Its almost easter. Marry.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 8:37PM

  4. Chelsea are rapidly becoming the laughing stock that­ Manchester City used to be.

    From quatt47, on Wed 11 Feb 8:36PM

  5. yeah but scott we are higher than chelsea in the table­ and beaten you twice this season so it should be you­ apoligising to me for being a chelsea supporter ;o)

    From LFC fans sound like a 'scratched cd', on Wed 11 Feb 8:35PM

  6. learn EGNLISH, morons!! then talk -otherwise it's­ simply unintelligible and a waste of space: no one can­ understand what you are saying except, hopefully, for­ yourselves(((

    From JOHN, on Wed 11 Feb 8:17PM

  7. Chino
    I've heard your cry and I know the sound. Its­ raspy. Metallic. New and shrill. Chelsea?, It looks­ like a number with a stick and a bend.
    These ppl are­ not idiots, they'r rivals and they'r not blue­ like you. They'r top top crops, they're not­ using blue ink to comment here, they'r using their­ money, time, brains and hatred.
    A few bad words cant­ make your team younger or successful.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 8:16PM

  8. u muppets out there,its not about trophys its about the­ support and chelsea had allways some of the best­ supporters round england,famous ones like paul weller­ and joe strummer and dont forget the glorious chelsea­ headhunters best firm ever

    From sean m, on Wed 11 Feb 8:13PM

  9. Sean M,
    once I was using your kind of words but I­ learned the club will not die for me. So, be a wise­ supporter or just die but remember you wont add one­ drop or trophies to their emanciated cabinet of the­ blue axes.
    I support a better team so don compare­ yourself.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 8:01PM

  10. Sean M,
    once I was using your kind of words but I­ learned the club will not die for me. So, be a wise­ supporter or just die but remember you wont add one­ drop or trophies to their emanciated cabinet of the­ blue axes.
    I support a better team so don compare­ yourself.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 7:59PM

  11. This is directed at those who paste rubbish here... U­ know yourselves!

    I really think if you can't­ speak/write english, you might as well comment in your­ native languages. I am tired of ignorant fools/morons­ writing rubbish about what they don't have the­ slightest idea about, on this post page!
    If you hate­ Chelsea, stick it in your ...
    If you love Chelsea stay­ blue and true!
    I wonder why idiots just can't keep­ their ignorant opinions to themselves, or simply­ discuss football with their Grannys...
    Pleass for the­ sake of your self respect (if you all have any), SHUT­ UP!

    NB: After reading this, cry, insult me or simply­ check yourself... It's up to you...

    FROM A TRUE­ CHELSEA FAN 4 LIFE!!!

    From Chino, on Wed 11 Feb 7:54PM

  12. The world is not the home for those with relatively few­ coins or brains or points or trophies or wins.
    Scolari­ never was a serious coach. I remember one day he­ punched a player during his floppin time in portugal.­ The chelsea's axe shaped stanford bridge is not a­ place for big talk and position four. Chelsea is a club­ with a history nearly equal to blackburn and a­ swaggering cabinet flocked with two premier league­ crowns and a few domestic cups..two!
    Arsenal has a­ richer cabinet but poorer bank account whereas manutd­ has achieved in twenty years what chelsea will struggle­ to gather in twenty decades.

    From Majoser, on Wed 11 Feb 7:54PM

  13. you might not put your shirts on when its sunny, but we­ dont put them on when it snows!

    From nathang32, on Wed 11 Feb 7:49PM

  14. oi hammer stick ur bubbles up to ur­ ..............chelsea till i die

    From sean m, on Wed 11 Feb 7:42PM

  15. hey dont call chelsea cockneys, Londoners maybe but­ only the hammers can be called cockneys. Were not all­ the same here, some of us follow real football teams,­ all weathers, all divisions, we dont put on our blue­ shirts when the sun shines

    From GEOFF, on Wed 11 Feb 7:36PM

  16. CHELSEA WONT DO ANY GOOD WHILE KENYON IS THERE

    From b h, on Wed 11 Feb 7:35PM

  17. I think now the Chelseas will realise that sacking that­ great man “MOURINHO” was a TERRIBLE mistake.

    Hey! You­ Chelseas, sacking managers may not necessarily be a­ solution.

    From Paulo, on Wed 11 Feb 7:34PM

  18. ha ha ha. ''The club would like to take this­ opportunity to thank the Russia Football Union for­ their understanding and cooperation''.­ ''Understanding and cooperation''... ha­ ha ha ha. that means ''good for you that you­ you did not let us do it the hard way''.

    From Half A Brain, on Wed 11 Feb 7:31PM

  19. correct merrindavid, your point isnt valid. well said

    From yip, on Wed 11 Feb 7:29PM

  20. As if the Russian Football Union had any choice!!! They­ are now part of the Russian Mafia too

    From Steve S, on Wed 11 Feb 7:28PM
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