Guus Hiddink Is The Polar Opposite of Jose Mourinho, And Exactly What CFC Needs!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

With a huge smile on my face, I watched Guus Hiddink yesterday, in his first press conference since replacing Jose Mouinho, deliver a master class in handling the media with great experience and professionalism, something that we've frankly been sorely missing this season.

There will be no quotes from a Chelsea manager sprayed in large fonts across sports papers this week, no eyebrows raised, no controversial statements, no talking points from this press conference to be discussed 'pundits' on TV and radio shows, not even anything to be taken out of context to serve as "click-bait" on sports 'news' websites. Guus left absolutely nothing for the vultures.

With extreme calm and a great degree of control on proceedings the Dutch skipped gracefully through the landmines, replying with unremarkable cliches about why he is here and the work that needs to be done, beautifully deflecting questions about the crowd booing certain players, making a couple of small jokes, and even managing to show both humility and dignity when questioned about his failures with Turkey and the Netherlands. Guus made no binding statements about youth integration or season objectives, he gave no definite answers regarding Drogba's possible future here nor indeed his own after May.

Overall, the Dutch conveyed almost no information in the twenty-two minute conference and most Chelsea fans felt it like a very much welcomed breathe of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, I used to love Jose Mourinho's interviews. As much as the next Chelsea fan, I took great pleasure in hearing him come up with absolute gems, making bold assertions and witty attacks at pretty much everyone; at least that is what it felt like when the team was winning and performing. There is no better manager in the world at manufacturing that siege mentality and creating headlines and controversies at will, which he would expertly use to motivate his players, albeit for the short term.

But you can't help but feel that for some time before his sacking, Jose had lost control of the outcome of his interactions with the media. More often than not, his statements were back-firing, adding needless pressure to already confidence-shattered players and having an overall negative influence on a team that was in disarray. Ultimately, when results are going completely against you, the 'gems' start sounding a lot like narcissistic and deluded rants. Eventually as fans we tire from the constant 'war' against everyone and probably the players, similarly, start responding negatively to the incredibly high levels of pressure and emotional stress.

And that's one thing I like about the appointment of Guus Hiddink. Someone on here compared him to a headmaster and I believe that is describing qualities that we need at the moment: Someone who is firm yet calm and level-headed. Someone with reassuring experience and an air of confidence and control over the situation at all times. I think those qualities will help the team immensely in getting back on track by greatly reducing the pressure on the players, reinstating the trust and confidence in the team, and just making everyone go back to the basics.

After this horrendous season so far, and the future of the club seemingly hanging in the balance, I've been looking hard this week for a sign that the board made the right choice with Guus Hiddink and that the Dutchman will be able to steer us to safety, and for me that press conference provided what I was looking for. Maybe it is wishful thinking on my part and I am clutching at straws.

But as a Chelsea fan, I had not, in a very long time, felt such relief and ease of mind that I did after hearing Guus Hiddink talk to the press.

[Stingray 9,441]

Nice, i had exactly the same feeling after the presser.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

  On 24/12/2015 at 22:10, Stingray said:

Nice, i had exactly the same feeling after the presser.

  Reveal hidden contents

PS: I realize that is rather sloppily written, but that is only because I wrote the whole thing but accidentally closed the tab and was too annoyed to rewrite it all properly

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

To be honest I agree. If it were a Mourinho mirrored then what would be the point in getting rid of the original?

It's nice not to have to cringe at a press conference. I love, love, love Jose to bits, he is obviously the best manager in CFC history (maybe aside from Dave Sexton) but at the end of the day the manager is easier to change than the players and Guus is much less abrasive to people outside Chelsea.

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

I found listening to Jose a trial for the past while. Its a huge sigh of relief from me to have a manager who knows how to conduct himself in public. Now let's climb this table!!

[Last Sicarius 610]

I just cant disagree with these words. Guus did great work at a press conference and i just enjoy it. First time since start of this season i feel its time when we can bring back things on right way.

[Cosmin 2,484]

I agree 100% with you, @CHOULO19

This press conference felt like mountain air after walking through the desert for a few hours in the afternoon. Mourinho lost his aura and his "mind games" turned against him and us, as a club. It was time for everything to be about football again. I was tired of controversy and shots fired at other managers, referees, ball boys, players etc. It was fun and enjoyable for a while, but at a certain point it became toxic and unbearable. And that's how it felt from our perspective. Imagine how it felt from the players'. Guus is a super professional guy, his English is impecable and yes, you got that perfectly: he's confident and I'm sure that his attitude will encourage the player to gain back their confidence. I really feel like this season will turn out to be good for us. And maybe we could build on that for the future.

[Last Sicarius 610]

  On 24/12/2015 at 22:50, Cosmin said:

I was tired of controversy and shots fired at other managers, referees, ball boys, players etc. It was fun and enjoyable for a while, but at a certain point it became toxic and unbearable.

Yes, yes yes. I catch this too. Too many time I saw something in media about CFC and its wasn't about sport aspects. We could laugh when Jose said that Wenger is specialist in failure etc. but for long period of time it turned against Jose and us. I just want stable trainer who will focus on football not on "mind games"... It's looks like Guus its this guy

[Ossie the King 634]

It was an unchallenging press conference handled professionally. I think there's a danger of going overboard about whether he's 'exactly what we need' before he's coached us in a single game.

Whilst it was a standard press conference, the guy is under very little pressure. He's come into a role where the expectations are fairly low, he's not expected to be there for more than 6 months and he's in little danger of it affecting his legacy. It's much easier to be calm in that situation then it was for the last chap.

The other issue for me goes back to the first point and is broadly speaking, so what? If there's a correlation between a calm, friendly, headmasterly demeanour and success then there's reason to be positive. I'm not aware of that being the case though. You acknowledge that you're possibly clutching at straws in the article in which you proclaim that Hiddink is exactly what we need, after a 30 minute presser.

Not after his first team selection, not after his first match, after a chat with some journos. That's not a dig but a reflection on what is perhaps taking too much precedence nowadays. This is the sideshow, the preamble. It has very little to do with what happens on the pitch and until it does, the jury is very much out on Guus....although even if they return a guilty verdict, the guy knows he'll be on a beach in June no matter what and it will all be someone else's problem.

[Muzchap 8,966]

  On 25/12/2015 at 00:01, Ossie the King said:

It was an unchallenging press conference handled professionally. I think there's a danger of going overboard about whether he's 'exactly what we need' before he's coached us in a single game.

Whilst it was a standard press conference, the guy is under very little pressure. He's come into a role where the expectations are fairly low, he's not expected to be there for more than 6 months and he's in little danger of it affecting his legacy. It's much easier to be calm in that situation then it was for the last chap.

The other issue for me goes back to the first point and is broadly speaking, so what? If there's a correlation between a calm, friendly, headmasterly demeanour and success then there's reason to be positive. I'm not aware of that being the case though. You acknowledge that you're possibly clutching at straws in the article in which you proclaim that Hiddink is exactly what we need, after a 30 minute presser.

Not after his first team selection, not after his first match, after a chat with some journos. That's not a dig but a reflection on what is perhaps taking too much precedence nowadays. This is the sideshow, the preamble. It has very little to do with what happens on the pitch and until it does, the jury is very much out on Guus....although even if they return a guilty verdict, the guy knows he'll be on a beach in June no matter what and it will all be someone else's problem.

Agree with everything except the last two paragraphs.

How a manager conducts himself around the club and in public will have an effect on the players. Hiddink is trying to calm the situation down and make it all about the football and being professional.

One of the fundamental issues we had, in my opinion, was Mourinho turning the pre and post amble into a media circus, needlessly casting the spotlight on everything. Journo's are like sharks, they can smell blood from miles away, we were giving them too much ammo. Chelsea became a media circus first and a football club second and that showed on the pitch. A return to football first is sorely needed.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

  On 24/12/2015 at 22:50, Cosmin said:

I agree 100% with you, @CHOULO19

This press conference felt like mountain air after walking through the desert for a few hours in the afternoon. Mourinho lost his aura and his "mind games" turned against him and us, as a club. It was time for everything to be about football again. I was tired of controversy and shots fired at other managers, referees, ball boys, players etc. It was fun and enjoyable for a while, but at a certain point it became toxic and unbearable. And that's how it felt from our perspective. Imagine how it felt from the players'. Guus is a super professional guy, his English is impecable and yes, you got that perfectly: he's confident and I'm sure that his attitude will encourage the player to gain back their confidence. I really feel like this season will turn out to be good for us. And maybe we could build on that for the future.

Very well put. Completely agree with that.

  On 25/12/2015 at 00:01, Ossie the King said:

It was an unchallenging press conference handled professionally. I think there's a danger of going overboard about whether he's 'exactly what we need' before he's coached us in a single game.

Whilst it was a standard press conference, the guy is under very little pressure. He's come into a role where the expectations are fairly low, he's not expected to be there for more than 6 months and he's in little danger of it affecting his legacy. It's much easier to be calm in that situation then it was for the last chap.

The other issue for me goes back to the first point and is broadly speaking, so what? If there's a correlation between a calm, friendly, headmasterly demeanour and success then there's reason to be positive. I'm not aware of that being the case though. You acknowledge that you're possibly clutching at straws in the article in which you proclaim that Hiddink is exactly what we need, after a 30 minute presser.

Not after his first team selection, not after his first match, after a chat with some journos. That's not a dig but a reflection on what is perhaps taking too much precedence nowadays. This is the sideshow, the preamble. It has very little to do with what happens on the pitch and until it does, the jury is very much out on Guus....although even if they return a guilty verdict, the guy knows he'll be on a beach in June no matter what and it will all be someone else's problem.

Yeah, the main point was that the presser was a 'sign' that we're taking a step in the right direction because it proved that getting Guus got rid of one of the many problems that contributed to the fiasco this season and that was Jose's handling of the media. The exactly what we needed part was obviously an exaggeration but I genuinely believe that he could be.

[Fulham Broadway 17,101]

Yes, the polar opposite (I spotted the xmas reference choulo).

Jose an upright citizen, Guus a convicted criminal. I mean what kind of role model is that to the children ? The club needs to take a damn good look at itself, what next -convicted rapists in marketing ? Paedos in the shop ?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

  On 25/12/2015 at 09:32, Fulham Broadway said:

Yes, the polar opposite (I spotted the xmas reference choulo).

Jose an upright citizen, Guus a convicted criminal. I mean what kind of role model is that to the children ? The club needs to take a damn good look at itself, what next -convicted rapists in marketing ? Paedos in the shop ?

You should just be glad I didn't take your advice and write about Chelsea getting relegated this season!