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Golden Guss takes on Chelsea

February 12th, 2009 | By: Jan | 11 Comments »

During Russia’s trainings camp in Turkey, Hiddink was offered a job he couldn’t refuse.

Roman Abramovich asked him to help Chelsea temporarily. And Hiddink wouldn’t say no to the Russian billionaire.

Coming weekend, the Achterhoeker will start for Chelsea, when Watford is the opponent for the FA cup. In the next months, he’ll combine the job with his team management of Russia. “Challenging, this… Challenging…”.

Is this a dream come true: working in the EPL?

“I’m beyond dreaming. Let me say it like this: of course it’s cool and wonderful, but I keep myself grounded. There’s better starting places to work in the EPL. Chelsea is a train in motion and I have to work with what I find there.”

How did this all happen?

“It seems so logical, but it took some time. They fired Scolari on Monday. They wanted to find a more elegant solution but coulnd’t and then someone mentioned my name.”

An honor, right?

“I wasn’t too keen. I don’t need this now. I have my job as team manager and I develop a football culture in a general sense in Russia. All over the nation, I oversee initiatives. I’m end responsible and I really cherish that work. It’s a tough job as it is.”

But, Chelsea was hard to resist.

“Oh, it is challenging and very attractive. But I wouldn’t have done it for any other club and the fact that Roman asked was key.”

Did he call you?

“No, his right hand man did. I spoke to him when the deal was settled.”

Are you friends?

“Whoa, that’s a big word. You don’t have that many, you know. We have a professional relationship and respect one another. I like him. There’s all these cliches around him, but when you meet him face to face, he’s an ordinary good bloke. He loves football and wants to support the sports with his money and vision. And I do believe the financial crisis has hurt him too…”

How is your relationship?

“In a professional sense, he’s my employer. He pays my salaries and I try to build up a Russian football culture. He also financially supports the Russian federation. Indirect, he pays all my salaries.”

Which is why the Federation didn’t object to this?

“It must have helped, hahahaaaa. But, my main role is Russia Team Manager. Too much fun to let go of that. Everyone is pleased with the results and everyone – the federation, my assistants, the players – want me to continue.”

This means you’ll relocate to London?

“Yeah, for a couple of months. Then, the job should be done. And it won’t be easy. Chelsea wants to qualify for CL football. It’s quite a challenge, but we do have the players for it.”

When do you start?

“I’ll be there when they play Watford. I might sit on the bench against Aston Villa. There’s not a lot of time. Villa, Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool are our rivals. That means we won’t have an easy spring in London.”

And then”

“Who knows. I’ll return to Russia. I won’t speculate too much. I want to lead the Russian team to the WC2010. That’s a simple as that.”

So when does Guus retire?

“They asked met that when I quit Real Madrid… I might stop after the WC2010. I’ll enjoy my Harley Davidson and start my ambassadorship for Nike. I’m also working on a special project in Tanzania, as a private project. I want to use sport to further the education for the kids. Something simple, but very much needed. I want to dedicate lots of my time to that.”

But first, Chelsea….

“And full speed ahead too. It’s a major job. I am confident. I’ve had more challenging jobs that worked out well.”

Tags: Arsenal, Chelsea, Group C, Hiddink, Korneev, Oranje, Roman

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Comments

By Caleb | February 12th, 2009 at 2:09 pm

I don’t like to hear this because Guus is a good coach and I’ve really enjoyed watching Chelsea struggle. I don’t like Chelsea and I want them to do poorly this season, so this doesn’t help anything…

Posted from Canada

By dirk v.d.Berg | February 12th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

So is Hiddink coaching both Russia and Chelsea, or did he leave Russia?

Posted from Canada

By finnster01 | February 12th, 2009 at 4:16 pm

@dirk: Hiddink is coaching both until end of season. He then claims he will return full-time to Russia.

However, Hiddink has said a lot of things in the past so notI would believe him. He is in a win-win situation. Gets paid 2.5 million GBP for 3 months work, if he saves Chelsea’s season, he is fine and will be offered the job full time. If he doesn’t, he has a fat check and can just go back to Russia. I’ve heard his bonus in his conract depends on final spot on the table, and for every spot above 4 it goes up by 500 000 pounds and a higher pot for Prem Champions and another for Champions League. The guy will make enough to do nothing ever agin for 3 months work.

Not bad, but also everything that is wrong with football. The sport is broken.

By bobotoh | February 13th, 2009 at 6:22 am

I think Abramovich is crazy. He is crazy because he has a lot of money. What if Hiddink fails too? May be Abramovich will sell Chelsea.

Posted from Indonesia

By finnster01 | February 13th, 2009 at 8:22 am

@bobotoh: He used to have a lot more money and he’s been killed in the market. Today I read on BBC that Chelsea posted another very large loss for last fiscal year, and any player purchases in the summer will have to be financed by selling existing players. In addition, Abram has converted some of the interest free loans he injected into the club to shares which will reduce the club debt on paper but boost his overall share holdings, which is exactly what you would want to do if you are putting the club up for sale…So it looks like Abrmovich is closing the purse strings and starting to window shop the club.

By sonneveld | February 13th, 2009 at 10:09 am

Just an update, marvin emnes scored the winner for middlesborough in the fa cup

the manager was impressed, it is at the end

http://vodpod.com/watch/1310694-wolves-1-middlesbrough-2

By tiju | February 13th, 2009 at 11:10 am

@guys after some holidays i am back,but will be regular from 18th feb onwards
@finni welldone by norway (corageous diffending).
Good to see players like schaars,mendes,brafeild etc and very soon castelen
I hope one day kuyt will score a goal as A CENTRAL STRIKER).
@jan hope you enjoyed the holydyas well.

By Caleb | February 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am

@Tiju – still going on about Castelen?? haha

@Sonneveld – thanks for the link. That first goal by Alves was really nice – a sweet pass and a sweet finish!

Posted from Canada

By Alex | February 13th, 2009 at 11:56 am

I read you’re reactions to the Holland match and I’m sorry i didn’t post this earlier but had a lot to do.

BTW someone said I lied about Ooijer,but I haven’t seen him in Blackburns line-up very much, and if he is playing a lot. Why should we bother, blackburn isn’t exactly doing very well, sure he has height, some form of leadership(due to his age, and height mostly) and a pass, but he is getting slow and I assuring you he won’t be around at the WC. I’d much rather have Heitinga back there, at least he’s still developing.

But about the match.
I think most of you put to much weight on this game. I recorded it and watched it closely. Saw nothing to be worried about but the form of Stekelenburg.
No matter what any of you would say, defence had nothing to do with the goal, ok, he had a lot of space, but Robben got in the way of Heitinga and most of the others were already marking somebody. And most important of all, that shot should have never been a goal, Stekelenburg is the one to blame. All of the Tunesian players aren’t very good. It was pretty much a shot in the dark. You’re to judgemental, JeSus! this game had no importance. In PL you see most of those shots blocked or the space closed down, but this had no meaning, i saw an oranje that held back didn’t really put in a 100 %(maybe 70 %) effort. That’s the reason he could take the shot, they guessed he couldn’t make a shot like that so they just didn’t bother, but Stekelenburg is defenitaly not V.d.Sar, they’re still not used to that.
Braafheid did well, but wasn’t really tested too much, Heitinga did good as well. Our defence was never really troubled.

Same principle for Robben, V.Persie, Sneijder, and the others, they just wanted to get trough the game without getting injured. Babel, Huntelaar, Schaars, Mendes da Silva, v.d.Vaart at least wanted to prove something so they had more commitment and partly caused them to play better then the others. Oranje played crappy in the preparation to the EC as well. Babel showed us why Liverpool wanted him, but then again, some points were he has to improve, assists/passing and his positioning/finishing.

Posted from Netherlands

By Michel-Olivier | February 13th, 2009 at 1:06 pm

@ tiju
diego biseswar is better than castelen

@ Alex
“Robben, V.Persie, Sneijder, and the others, they just wanted to get trough the game without getting injured.”
i agree

Posted from United States

By Jan | February 13th, 2009 at 5:36 pm

Hi Alex, you’re right of course, it doesn’t really matter. But they say you play how you train and when you play a game you should instinctively do the right thing. So, when our defenders all backpaddle in a situation like this against Tunisia, they might do that against Portugal as well when C Ronaldo drives forward. I was disappointed that none of the players took on this bloke. Apart from Stekel’s mis-judgement. It just looked bad.

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