Guus Hiddink says John Terry has makings of a future Chelsea boss
Friday 1 April 2016 23:45, UK
Guus Hiddink is convinced Chelsea captain John Terry has all the makings of a future manager at Stamford Bridge.
Ahead of the Blues' Premier League clash with bottom club Aston Villa on Saturday, interim boss Hiddink says Terry has the leadership skills and tactical knowhow to take charge one day.
"In some players, not just here but in other clubs as well, you see while they are playing that they might be managers inside already," said Hiddink.
"Most of the time in the midfield positions or at centre-back these guys are already leaders in the team. I like it always as a manager, players who you can make your plan with to execute things on the pitch.
"In my own younger career, I also had other examples of that - players who are now good managers. I had in my first spell with PSV Eindhoven, Ronald Koeman. You could see he was already a very tactically strong leader, of course.
"Quique Sanchez Flores, I had in Valencia. These players think how a team can play and they have their ideas as well."
While the Dutchman believes Terry has what it takes to follow in their footsteps, he insists the 35-year old defender should gain experience as part of another manager's backroom staff first.
"Terry won't be ready in one or two years, but of course, if they get experience, most of the time it's good to go and be the first or second assistant, and have the experience from the other side.
"Many players think they can do it overnight, but I doubt that. I think the best thing is to get the practice and experience not to be one of the squad, but go on the other side and have the experience with the manager, how to deal with training, man management and a lot of other things you have to deal with.
"Sometimes we managers think we can manipulate every second of the game, which I do not think is true. But then you need, in my opinion, the tactical, strategic and very strong players who become managers. He can be one of them."
Terry, who has spent 18 years with Chelsea, announced in February that he will leave the club at the end of the season, after failing to agree a new deal.
There had been discussions about the former England captain coming out of international retirement to play at Euro 2016, a suggestion national team boss Roy Hodgson refuted.
And like Hodgson, Hiddink believes Terry's international future has already been decided.
"Whether they (Terry and Hodgson) had a conversation, yes or no, I think it has been a little bit overvalued but it was no issue for either of them," he added.
"John is doing his job for Chelsea and decided already - one, two or three years ago - not to be available any more for England, whatever the reason might be."
