The Blues will reappoint former interim boss Hiddink
Chelsea are set to appoint Guus Hiddink as their interim manager for the remainder of the season, as they go in search of a permanent replacement.
Jose Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea on Thursday, following the Blues woeful start to the season which sees the current Premier League champions one point above the relegation after 16 games, with 15 points.
Hiddink is set expected to be named the successor after proving popular with the players, fans and board at Chelsea back in 2009, where he guided the club to FA Cup success and the semi-finals of the Champions League – both competitions which Chelsea stand some chance of winning.
Seal of approval
Current Chelsea captain John Terry and former goalkeeper Petr Cech had hoped Hiddink would stay on a long-term contract after his first spell at Chelsea. However, he returned to his role as Russia boss and has subsequently gone on to manage Turkey, Anzhi Makhachkala and the Netherlands.
Just seven months after Mourinho was lifting the league title, following a convincing league campaign, Hiddink will find himself having to pick up the pieces left behind by the club’s most successful boss, with numerous ‘world class’ players underperforming.
Hiddink, 69, boasts a wealth of experience, having won the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven six times and the European cup in 1998, while managing five different nations, including his native Holland. However, Chelsea will be hoping he does better with the Blues than he did in his second spell with the Netherlands.
Holland surprisingly missed out on Euro 2016 as Hiddink was sacked after a run of four wins in 10 qualification matches, but the Dutchman has a chance to reignite his good managerial reputation.
Chelsea have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League, despite their troubles in the league, and start their FA Cup campaign at the beginning of 2016, giving Hiddink two chances for silverware.
