Hiddink linked with Chelsea
From Chris Lines in London From AAP
January 07, 2007 12:00AM
FORMER Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink is being lined up to take over as Chelsea manager next season, according to reports from London.
Hiddink, who took Australia to the second round of the 2006 World Cup, is currently national manager of Russia.
The Dutchman, who has also enjoyed great success with South Korea, his native Holland, plus club sides such as Valencia and PSV Eindhoven, was installed in the Russia role largely through his contacts with Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
Reports from the United Kingdom suggest Hiddink's relationship with Abramovich will see him take over at Chelsea at the end of the current season, with rumours of discontent at Stamford Bridge between Abramovich and team manager Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea's signing of Andrii Shevchenko from AC Milan was thought to be at the behest of Abramovich rather than Mourinho and the Ukrainian striker's struggle to transfer his extraordinary goal-scoring feats into the English game had contributed to Chelsea's battle to keep up with league pacesetters Manchester United.
Abramovich's admission in a recent interview that his relationship with Mourinho was more business-like than friendly had also prompted rumours that the Portuguese manager could soon be on his way, with Italian league leaders Internazionale thought to be keen on his services.
Such speculation was heightened on the weekend when a Hiddink interview was published in a Dutch magazine Elf in which he said he was preparing to give up his role as Russia's number one and hand over to his deputy Alexandr Borodjuk.
"It's really time to say in Russia 'Borodjuk takes over now'," Hiddink said.
"I have the energy to go and do something new and I get a lot of satisfaction out of that.
"He (Abramovich) was here the other day.
"He and I talked for a while about a number of things.
"I get on with him very well."
