|
Hiddink hint for Chelsea - Russia ready to extend job
share
By Matt Barlow
| |
|
|
Hiddink: job share Photo Reuters
|
Guus Hiddink looks increasingly likely to remain Chelsea
manager next season after the Russian FA revealed they are happy to discuss
the idea of their coach extending his job share.
General secretary Alexey Sorokin believes Hiddink, in charge at Chelsea
until the end of the season, is capable of successfully managing both
teams even if Russia reach the World Cup in South Africa.
'If Chelsea say they would like to continue we are ready to discuss it
with the owners,' said Sorokin.
'We are comfortable with the situation. We would be uncomfortable if it
were a Russian club because when a coach comes from a Russian club to
the national team he tends to look after his players more than the players
from other clubs. but there is no such contradiction here. If he says
he can handle it, we have no reasons not to believe it. He is a responsible
person with a lot of experience and if he takes that responsibility he
will perform for certain.'
Even before taking on extra duties at Chelsea, Hiddink was not a permanent
Moscow resident and did not have a profile like England chief Fabio Capello.
Hiddink prefers to leave the scouting to his assistants, who compile dossiers
on emerging players so the manager can fly in to watch them personally.
Sorokin added: 'He didn't spend even half the year here, so his absence
is not a major gap for us. He could not have worked between the games
and training camps anyway.'
Russia will play four World Cup qualifiers next autumn and a two-legged
play-off if they finish second in Group Four.
Sorokin added: 'There aren't so many games next season. We have home games
in September and October and maybe a playoff in November. There might
be three away games. Each game takes up less than a week.'
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who has helped fund Hiddink's job as Russia
coach, has gone to Moscow for today's World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
Dailymail.co.uk,
28th March 2009
|
|
