Guus Hiddink yesterday became Chelsea's 4th manager under Roman Abramovich, supposedly on a temporary basis. I do not believe for one second that he will leave at the end of the current campaign. Like Scolari, 62 year old Hiddink is regarded as
'one of the best managers in the world' (copyright Talksport presenters). But as Chelsea have found out with Scolari, that does not necesarily translate into guaranteed success in the Premier League. The increasingly impatient Russian owner is seemingly not content with merely winning trophies, as proved by his sacking of Jose Mourinho and even Avram Grant who came within one penalty kick of winning the Champions League. He obviously craves an attractive brand of football as well as trophies (the Champions League in particular). I would suggest he is measuring the level of 'attractiveness' he is striving for against Manchester United. The problem for him is that Alex Ferguson has built up a dynasty at Old Trafford, to the extent where winning and exciting football comes as second nature, over two decades. And yet Abramovich expects his managers to achieve this in 6 months. It appears that he is willing to work his way through virtually every supposedly top class manager in world football until he finds a perfect combination. It doesn't take a footballing expert to work out that this strategy is doomed to failure.
Hiddink may bring some measure of success to Chelsea, just as
Mourinho did. He brought significant success at his last club, PSV Eindhoven, winning 3 titles and leading them to the semi finals of the Champions League in 2005. I suspect, however, that as long as Alex Ferguson remains at Manchester United, the Dutchman - like his predecesors - will also fail to satisfy Abramovich's desires and he too will be shown the exit door at the Stamford Bridge circus within a couple of years. Probably the only man who could is Ferguson himself. Any pretensions Chelsea had of becoming a force in world football died the day Mourinho was sacked.
Mourinho did. He brought significant success at his last club, PSV Eindhoven, winning 3 titles and leading them to the semi finals of the Champions League in 2005. I suspect, however, that as long as Alex Ferguson remains at Manchester United, the Dutchman - like his predecesors - will also fail to satisfy Abramovich's desires and he too will be shown the exit door at the Stamford Bridge circus within a couple of years. Probably the only man who could is Ferguson himself. Any pretensions Chelsea had of becoming a force in world football died the day Mourinho was sacked.
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