The Hiddink Thread

[Adnane 1,101]

I don't wanna jinx it, but I can't stress enough how pivotal this 6 months are for this club under this kind of manager.

If he does perform as expected, we really are lucky to find the exact profile we need at the moment, important experience, tactful in his communication ( for those who want real taste of it, check how calm and composed he was after the Ovrebo nightmare, you just can't stay calm in a night like that, how he did is beyond me ), great tactical knowledge, respect from and proximity with the players.

Our club is really in a critical phase, the after Mourinho has always been tricky, whether your teams keep the best learned under one of the best managers in the history of football, enhance it and go to the next level ( Chelsea 2008, Madrid 2014 ), or they implode ( Inter 2011, Porto 2005 maybe although they lost so many players that we can't judge them on that ). Our objective is to make the BRB a BRBC, thus joining the Barcelona-Real Madrid-Bayern club, we were really that close last year, had we made a better CL campaign, we would have been in the same scale, in the last year or so, we really declined in that progression, we are behind the PSGs, Atleticos and Juves of this world, hell maybe even Manchester City and Arsenal, although we might have more talented players than some of them ( mainly Atletico and Juve for me ).

So we need this coach, and I can feel in his words that he needs us, as he said he gave up big plans to join Chelsea, his name has been well sung here in the past and he didn't have such a brilliant career just to end it in a note as low as what happened in his last 2-3 experience ( depends on where you stand in the Anzhi debate ), he doesn't have much to prove but he needs that, ending a great carrer badly is always negative for someone involved in football management for over 33 years.

Chelsea want to build a dynasty ? Recruit the players ? Build the foundations ? This man has got so much experience and knowledge in football and has been through so many changes that I can see him as one of the best candidates for that, as a coach for a couple of years and then a technical director if he wants to stay in the game, as he has always been in the top of Roman's wishlist.

We only have to wish one thing for the future of our club, that this guy does a job good enough to keep him within the club beyond the 6 months he is about to entertain.

Guus Luck ! Don't be hiddingk !

[Barbara 15,149]

PC in a nutshell:

"All the players need to look in the mirror..and...er..I shouldnt really be here"

Yep, clear as day for anyone who wants to see, don't even need to read between the lines.

On another completely unrelated note, kudos to Jason for doing something so amazing to this forum. It's a Christmas miracle all right.

[Milan 17,853]

Is it just me or is this really cool?

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

I Vote for and Nominate GUUS HIDDINK for my all time best manager for Chelsea FC and he is definitely my favourite manager ever that managed Chelsea. he is the only most likable dutch manager in football I feel interested in when he talks and speaks. He has a personality and character that Jose Mourinho or all the Other managers from 2004 -to- 2015 that managed Chelsea FC that I didn't like or wasn't interested in.

[Peace. 4,352]

Why do people have to complain again ? Yes, that is the same line-up and yes, this is frustrating to see again and again these poor players. But you have to keep in mind two things : Guus arrived here only one week ago and that is his first game ; you will have to bear those piss poor players until the end of the season, and most certainly the next season too.

As I have said, this is is first game and he is the manager for one week — what were you expecting, a revolution ? Probably half of the players are unknown to him, especially RLC and Kennedy... Of course he will select the players he knows and the players that have the better C.V. To change the line-up he will need time to get to know the players. That is even more true for the 'youngsters'. It is always complicated to play them when you get to manage the team mid-season. And to be frank, Guus inherited a team that is too much in a dire position to make some fantasy in the first months.

The first priority is to get out of the relegation battle ; the second is to secure enough points so we will not fight to not get relegated again. Once these important prorities are done, you can think to the youngsters. Though, to be honest, I am sure that 'try to get the fourth spot' will also be ahead of 'play the youngsters'.

And as some others have mentioned, we need fresh players to play against Manchester... Maybe Guus feels Zouma's speed is more needed against Manchester than Watford. And to be honest — I will create a general commotion with this —, Zouma is not necessarily that better than Cahill — if he is indeed better... They have both their qualities and flaws, but let's be real, the difference between their level is marginal.. It 'might' be concerning in regards to his status within the team in a long-term perspective, yet, in regards to 'one game', Zouma or Cahill, it is 'Tweedledum and Tweedledee'.

The bottom line is that, before getting your guns out as soon as the first game, let's see how Guus does in his first month here to draw conclusions. Also, a change in tactics does not necessarily implies a change in personal. And anyway, prepare yourselves to see the same team for a long time — we are too deep in the season and we are in a position too bad to be able to make drastic and fantasist changes.

[DYC. 7,542]

Well, he hasn't lost yet. He still has some of that famous luck.

He's so old. He kind of looks like the maintenance man. The difference between him and Flores was striking. Good ol' grandpa Gus.

The prospect of beating Van Gaal should bring the best out of him. He'll do it.

[Azul 1,615]

I'm not bashing him until I see the line-up on Monday.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

I think he did what he could with the wankers players at his disposal. I don't expcet him to change much for next match, maybe in a few we might get a chance to see some changes, let's see if he still has it or he's past it.

[Caeruleus 1,148]

He had better team in the past. Simple as that #emenalout

[didierforever 7,349]

anyone thinking we can make top 4 is DELUDED. be it hiddink or some poster.

IF you are in a title fight, it is understandable.

IF we had a small blip (like under RDM), then it is understandable.

IF we were mid table with top 4 an actual possibility, then it is understandable.

we are fucking 15th and we literally send out the same team with the same problems on the field.

cesc got OWNED AGAIN, when pressed.

iva is SHIT.

and the best part is people think that choosing between zouma and cahill/JT is 'Tweedledum and Tweedledee' against the most inform striker in PL at the moment.

well, IF, this is not the ideal scenario for youth to be integrated, then nothing is. the season is gone. it is lost. you dont need to be a genius to know which players have been the problems. there are videos of the past matches, of how teams set up against a cesc-matic pivot or how they keep exploiting ivanovic.

sorry, but no matter if this is a manager's first match or first training session, but to send the team with the same problems was simply atrocious.

a poor start from hiddink. looked like the lunch date that he had with jose really rubbed off on him.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I've made another topic for this, but I do honestly think we can get Europa League football for next season.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

He had better team in the past. Simple as that #emenalout

Uhh..

You say that, but actually our squad now looks better than the 08/09 one lol. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the players he had then were a lot older and most people were saying they were too old.

The team this time actually is filled, or supposed to be, with a lot more attacking channels. The only thing you can say this team is lacking are the leaders of yesteryear lmao. This squad should be able to compete the highest level.

[Peace. 4,352]

Lack of brain, skill, talent, athleticism...we lack a lot of things.

The good thing is we got rid of the manager who was more interested in height than any of those things.

• Fabregas, Pedro, Oscar, Matic : at the very best, they belong to a big team's bench.
• Terry, Ivanovic, (Falcao LOL) : not belonging to top-flight football anymore.
• Mikel, Cahill, Ramires, Remy : players for 'small' teams.
• Azpilicueta, Zouma, Costa, Willian : 'okay' players for a big team. Though, Azpi is a very good defensive right-back that plays left-back ; Zouma might be 'great' for is age but if you considere him as a first-team player (i.e. regardless of his age) he is good at best ; Costa has clear limitations in term of technic and self-control ; I have no complains in regards to Willian, though he should not be the 'player of the year'.

That leaves us with : Hazard. He is the only (out-field) player we have that is world-class. And unfortunately for us, he is not the kind of player to get on the score-sheet (i.e., he is more an 'Iniesta' than a 'Suarez').

Do you remember, a couple of years ago we did have : Luiz ; Bertrand ; Azpilicueta ; Oscar ; Hazard ; de Bruyne ; Hazard ; Mata ; Lukaku (; Aké). It was not a great team by any means — however, that was an exciting project and it was a very good base to build a great team. A few key signings here and there (i.e. a great CB to partner Luiz, a great central-midfielder, a great striker) and some additions of 'good' players to compliment what we already had would have been enough to build a competitive team that would be able to play good football. Yet, two years later, we are left with a squad full of utility players, some dead-woods and some 'okay' players — and only one world-class player. Above all, we are left with only a very few players that are able to do things with the ball at their feet...

We are not back to the step 1 — we are back to step -10. Mata, Luiz, Bertrand, de Bruyne, Lukaku, Schurrle, Salah... We have sold all these young and fresh players. We are left with nothing to build upon — and the only hope for people nowadays seems to be the combo 'Kennedy-RLC' which is a clear indication that we are at the bottom of a bottomless pit.

Why, oh why did the board let Mourinho shape the team to his non-football philosophy ? He got rid of all the players that could play football and the players that could have been a bright spark for the 'long-term'. Instead, he gave a free-pass to all of our dead-woods and utility players because they are tall and would run behind the ball like donkeys — and more importantly, as they cannot keep the ball at their feet, the chances of them doing a mistake was greatly reduced, because hey, not doing any mistake is the most important thing in football.

Unfortunately, we are not Real Madrid and we are not full of 'stars'... So we can forgot to bounce back like them. No, we are going to take the Inter route, and unless other clubs mismanage their team and unless we make some signings that turn out to be brilliant, we are not fighting for the title for the five next years. I am so pissed off.

Edited December 26, 2015 by Peace.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Why, oh why did the board let Mourinho shape the team to his non-football philosophy ? He got rid of all the players that could play football and the players that could have been a bright spark for the 'long-term'. Instead, he gave a free-pass to all of our dead-woods and utility players because they are tall and would run behind the ball like donkeys — and more importantly, as they cannot keep the ball at their feet, the chances of them doing a mistake was greatly reduced.

Exactly.

[The Mak 4,459]

We are not back to the step 1 — we are back to step -10. Mata, Luiz, Bertrand, de Bruyne, Lukaku, Schurrle, Salah... We have sold all these young and fresh players. We are left with nothing to build upon — and the only hope for people nowadays seems to be the combo 'Kennedy-RLC' which is a clear indication that we are at the bottom of a bottomless pit.

Why, oh why did the board let Mourinho shape the team to his non-football philosophy ? He got rid of all the players that could play football and the players that could have been a bright spark for the 'long-term'. Instead, he gave a free-pass to all of our dead-woods and utility players because they are tall and would run behind the ball like donkeys — and more importantly, as they cannot keep the ball at their feet, the chances of them doing a mistake was greatly reduced.

Unfortunately, we are not Real Madrid and we are not full of 'stars'... So we can forgot to bounce back like them. No, we are going to take the Inter route, and unless other clubs mismanage their team and unless we make some signings that turn out to be brilliant, we are not fighting for the title for the five next years. I am so pissed off.

Thank you.

My biggest problem with Mourinho was seling our bright future we had at the beginning of the 2013 season. Sure we couldn't win the league as it stood, but we were more than capable of finishing in the top 4 and build on the young gems we had with the aim to dominate with them in the future through attacking football...but no. Mourinho sold it all for a solitary league title when we could've had 4,5 or 6 with KDB, Bertrand Mata etc. He replaced quality young players with shit like Fabregas, Cuadrado and Falcao.

He didn't just fuck up a team, he fucked an entire squad for years to come. Impressive.

[lucio 5,418]

He had better team in the past. Simple as that #emenalout

true, what i'd give now, to have jacob mellis in the team...

[DYC. 7,542]

• Fabregas, Pedro, Oscar, Matic : at the very best, they belong to a big team's bench.
• Terry, Ivanovic, (Falcao LOL) : not belonging to top-flight football anymore.
• Mikel, Cahill, Ramires, Remy : players for 'small' teams.
• Azpilicueta, Zouma, Costa, Willian : 'okay' players for a big team. Though, Azpi is a very good defensive right-back that plays left-back ; Zouma might be 'great' for is age but if you considere him as a first-team player (i.e. regardless of his age) he is good at best ; Costa has clear limitations in term of technic and self-control ; I have no complains in regards to Willian, though

That leaves us with : Hazard. He is the only (out-field) player we have that is world-class. And unfortunately for us, he is not the kind of player to get on the score-sheet (i.e., he is more an 'Iniesta' than a 'Suarez').

Do you remember, a couple of years ago we did have : Luiz ; Bertrand ; Azpilicueta ; Oscar ; Hazard ; de Bruyne ; Hazard ; Mata ; Lukaku (; Aké). It was not a great team by any means — however, that was an exciting project and it was a very good base to build a great team. A few key signings here and there (i.e. a great CB to partner Luiz, a great central-midfielder, a great striker) and some additions of 'good' players to compliment what we already had would have been enough to build a competitive team that would be able to play good football. Yet, two years later, we are left with a squad full of utility players, some dead-woods and some 'okay' players — and only one world-class player. Above all, we are left with only a very few players that are able to do things with the ball at their feet...

We are not back to the step 1 — we are back to step -10. Mata, Luiz, Bertrand, de Bruyne, Lukaku, Schurrle, Salah... We have sold all these young and fresh players. We are left with nothing to build upon — and the only hope for people nowadays seems to be the combo 'Kennedy-RLC' which is a clear indication that we are at the bottom of a bottomless pit.

Why, oh why did the board let Mourinho shape the team to his non-football philosophy ? He got rid of all the players that could play football and the players that could have been a bright spark for the 'long-term'. Instead, he gave a free-pass to all of our dead-woods and utility players because they are tall and would run behind the ball like donkeys — and more importantly, as they cannot keep the ball at their feet, the chances of them doing a mistake was greatly reduced, because hey, not doing any mistake is the most important thing in football.

Unfortunately, we are not Real Madrid and we are not full of 'stars'... So we can forgot to bounce back like them. No, we are going to take the Inter route, and unless other clubs mismanage their team and unless we make some signings that turn out to be brilliant, we are not fighting for the title for the five next years. I am so pissed off.

Dortmund's resurgence after their distastrous season gives me hope. It's the same group of players for the most part, just one new player in the starting XI, but they're so much better this season. Some clever buys, some changes in the system, getting rid of some of the deadwood.

I doubt Chelsea will be up there challenging for the title next season but a top 4 contender. I hope.

[Styles 9,790]

• Fabregas, Pedro, Oscar, Matic : at the very best, they belong to a big team's bench.
• Terry, Ivanovic, (Falcao LOL) : not belonging to top-flight football anymore.
• Mikel, Cahill, Ramires, Remy : players for 'small' teams.
• Azpilicueta, Zouma, Costa, Willian : 'okay' players for a big team. Though, Azpi is a very good defensive right-back that plays left-back ; Zouma might be 'great' for is age but if you considere him as a first-team player (i.e. regardless of his age) he is good at best ; Costa has clear limitations in term of technic and self-control ; I have no complains in regards to Willian, though he should not be the 'player of the year'.

That leaves us with : Hazard. He is the only (out-field) player we have that is world-class. And unfortunately for us, he is not the kind of player to get on the score-sheet (i.e., he is more an 'Iniesta' than a 'Suarez').

Do you remember, a couple of years ago we did have : Luiz ; Bertrand ; Azpilicueta ; Oscar ; Hazard ; de Bruyne ; Hazard ; Mata ; Lukaku (; Aké). It was not a great team by any means — however, that was an exciting project and it was a very good base to build a great team. A few key signings here and there (i.e. a great CB to partner Luiz, a great central-midfielder, a great striker) and some additions of 'good' players to compliment what we already had would have been enough to build a competitive team that would be able to play good football. Yet, two years later, we are left with a squad full of utility players, some dead-woods and some 'okay' players — and only one world-class player. Above all, we are left with only a very few players that are able to do things with the ball at their feet...

We are not back to the step 1 — we are back to step -10. Mata, Luiz, Bertrand, de Bruyne, Lukaku, Schurrle, Salah... We have sold all these young and fresh players. We are left with nothing to build upon — and the only hope for people nowadays seems to be the combo 'Kennedy-RLC' which is a clear indication that we are at the bottom of a bottomless pit.

Why, oh why did the board let Mourinho shape the team to his non-football philosophy ? He got rid of all the players that could play football and the players that could have been a bright spark for the 'long-term'. Instead, he gave a free-pass to all of our dead-woods and utility players because they are tall and would run behind the ball like donkeys — and more importantly, as they cannot keep the ball at their feet, the chances of them doing a mistake was greatly reduced, because hey, not doing any mistake is the most important thing in football.

Unfortunately, we are not Real Madrid and we are not full of 'stars'... So we can forgot to bounce back like them. No, we are going to take the Inter route, and unless other clubs mismanage their team and unless we make some signings that turn out to be brilliant, we are not fighting for the title for the five next years. I am so pissed off.

Hey, it could be worse, he could still be in charge with money to spend in the transfer market.

He has set us back a couple years but another window or two with him in charge of transfers and it could easily have been a decade.

Look on the bright side. :tophat: