Chelsea confirm Guus Hiddink as interim manager until end of season
Saturday 19 December 2015 21:12, UK
Chelsea have confirmed that Guus Hiddink will take over as interim manager until the end of the season.
The Dutchman did not take charge of first-team duties for the game at home to Sunderland on Saturday, with Steve Holland and Eddie Newton in the dugout, but watched from the stands with owner Roman Abramovich.
Hiddink, who took temporary charge of the Blues when Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked in 2009 and won the FA Cup, said: "I am excited to return to Stamford Bridge.
"Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world but is not where it should be at the moment. However, I am sure we can all turn this season around.
"I am looking forward to working with the players and staff at this great club and especially renewing my wonderful relationship with the Chelsea fans."
Confirming the news, a Chelsea statement said: "Mr Abramovich and the board believe that Guus has what it takes to get the best out of our talented squad."
The Dutchman, who left his role as Netherlands manager earlier this year during their unsuccessful European qualifying campaign, had been immediately installed as the Sky Bet favourite to succeed Mourinho, though Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone remain joint favourites to take the Stamford Bridge helm on a permanent basis.
Earlier on Friday, Hiddink's former employers at the Australian Football Federation pledged their support for his imminent takeover at Chelsea on social media, before swiftly taking it down.
Former Chelsea player and assistant manager Ray Wilkins believes Hiddink is the right choice, and said: "To put him in and have Steve Holland alongside him would be the right choice.
"His career hasn't gone well, but he is the best man-manager I've ever seen. His English is first class and his mentality is too. He works hard but he loves a good giggle.
"He was a success last time firstly because he didn't have the language barrier, which Chelsea had with Felipe Scolari, who couldn't quite get his message across. Guus came in to enjoy himself, and enjoy himself he did."
Hiddink began his career with PSV Eindhoven where he wont six Dutch titles and the European Cup. He has also managed Real Madrid, Netherlands twice, South Korea, Australia, Russia, Turkey, and a number of other clubs.
As Hiddink's appointment was confirmed, Jose Mourinho was watching Championship football as his friend Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough ended Brighton's unbeaten run with a 3-0 win.
Sky Sports understand Roma - who have been tipped to fire Rudi Garcia during the winter break - have made contact with Mourinho, but the Portuguese declined to enter talks.
