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Hiddink to copy United blueprint for success
Manager calls for Chelsea to start thinking ahead if they are to close
gap at top.
By Sam Wallace
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Guus Hiddink said he would "love"
to stop Alex Ferguson claiming all four major trophies Photo
REUTERS
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Guus Hiddink admitted yesterday that Manchester United
had left the rest of the Premier League behind and Chelsea would have
to copy Sir Alex Ferguson's strategies if they were to have any hope of
competing with them in the future. The Dutchman said that Chelsea had
to start thinking "two steps ahead", instead of just focusing
on the short term.
The interim Chelsea manager, whose side can close the gap to United to
four points if they beat Portsmouth tonight, said that he was not "scared"
by the prospect of trying to compete with Ferguson for the three major
trophies left this season. However, the bad news for Chelsea is that Nicolas
Anelka is almost certain to miss tonight's game after bruising a toe,
thus depriving Hiddink of his top goalscorer. With Liverpool's title challenge
fading, and Arsenal's non-existent, it was put to Hiddink that he is arguably
the last manager capable of denying Ferguson his 11th Premier League title.
In an echo of Kevin Keegan's famous 1996 television rant - although delivered
in a considerably calmer mood - Hiddink said he would "love"
to stop Ferguson claiming all four major trophies. "I hope that we
can stop him," he said, "I'd love to stop him [achieving] this
aim."
However, it was Hiddink's assessment of Ferguson the manager which gave
an insight into just how far Chelsea have to go to catch up. "He
[Ferguson] has a very good organisation, he thinks one or two steps ahead,
about what will happen next year or the year after," Hiddink said.
"We have to make our philosophy and strategy not only for now but
for the future. You make reports on your players and try to foresee what
the future is. That's what they [United] do very well. They prepare their
near future very well, from what I can see. There's good balance in their
[squad's] age groups.
"Yes, they have been a very dominant, organised club for many years.
It's a good philosophy, in my opinion. Other clubs may try to go the same
way - some clubs have their own academies as well, like this club. You
want to make your players competitive for the first-team squad, as well."
Such is Hiddink's determination to return to his Russia coach job full-time
at the end of the season, he would not even discuss what Chelsea's long-term
future might be, preferring instead to say it was "a question for
the management" of the club. So far, not one of the club's academy
graduates has made an impression on the first team, despite a considerable
investment from owner Roman Abramovich.
Shortly before Hiddink's arrival, Chelsea's Under-18 team, which is stocked
largely with players bought by the out-of-favour chief scout and director
of youth development Frank Arnesen, were eliminated from the FA Youth
Cup by Liverpool's equivalent team. As for the age profile of the first-team
squad, there seems to be no change in the reliance on the older players,
such as Frank Lampard (30), Didier Drogba (31 this month), Anelka (pictured,
30 this month), Ricardo Carvalho (29) and John Terry (28).
On Ferguson himself, Hiddink said he was not daunted by the prospect of
coming into a league that Ferguson has competed in for more than 22 years
and in which his power and influence range far and wide. "I don't
know if people are scared of him," Hiddink said. "I was not
scared. I don't know whether players or young managers are scared of him,
but I'm not fully aware of everything.
"Why should up-and-coming managers be scared of him?" Now that
Chelsea are in second place, albeit on goal difference, Hiddink was duty-bound
to say his team have a chance of catching United, but even he was not
certain. "As long as there is a possibility, you never know. But,
realistically, it will be difficult," he said.
The long-awaited comeback of Michael Essien, out since September, is now
imminent. The midfielder was due to play, along with Carvalho, in last
night's reserve game against Aston Villa.
So far, Hiddink and Ferguson have never faced one another as managers,
apart from a 2004 friendly between United and PSV Eindhoven. Hiddink said
mistakenly yesterday that they had - "Berry Van Aerle gave away a
penalty" - but the game he was referring to was in November 1984.
Ferguson was manager of Aberdeen but Hiddink was only assistant manager
to Jan Reker. Gordon Strachan scored the penalty and Aberdeen won 1-0.
"It [football] is an addiction so you can empathise with Sir Alex,"
Hiddink said. "He tried to pack it in once a few years ago... Then
he got bored. This is football. It's in his body."
Independent.co.uk,
3 March 2009
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