Tweet
ROMAN TURNS TO HIDDINK
DILEMMA: Roman Abramovich
Thursday September 27,2007
By Tony Banks
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has put Guus Hiddink on the spot and asked him whether he wants to stay with Russia or join Chelsea.
Abramovich still has veteran coach Hiddink at the top of his list to replace Jose Mourinho, but he faces a major dilemma.
The Daily Express understands the Russian Football Federation have offered Hiddink, 60, a new deal up to the 2010 World Cup – whether his team qualify for Euro 2008 or not.
Abramovich asked me, ‘What do you want
That deal has been offered to the Dutchman with the full knowledge of Abramovich, who pays 50 per cent of his £1.2million-a-year wages and was responsible for taking Hiddink to Moscow in the first place.
Hiddink said last night: “Abramovich asked me, ‘What do you want?’ I told him that right now I want to do nothing else except concentrate on Russia. I want to see this through now and then see what happens.”
However, it is understood that Hiddink, whose current deal runs out in 2008, is seriously considering the new offer from the RFF and could decide to stay on in international management.
Hiddink, who lives in a five-star hotel in Moscow with his partner Elizabeth, said: “We like living in Moscow and they seem to like us. We have started a project here with this team and they want us to stay on for another two years after the European Championships.”
Abramovich still wants Hiddink in west London, but is reluctant to take the highly-rated former PSV Eindhoven, Holland, South Korea and Australia coach away from his country’s national team unless the Dutchman announces publicly he wants out.
He would not do that in any case until the end of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. That could be as early as next month for the Russians, because if they fail to beat England in Moscow on October 17 their chances of making it to the finals will be slim.
But the new offer means even then Abramovich may not get his man. Another Dutchman, current Holland coach Marco van Basten, is also on the list. But he, too, will not leave his current job until after Euro 2008 – and his team look set to make it to the finals.
Meanwhile, Didier Drogba’s unhappiness at Stamford Bridge following Mourinho’s departure was compounded yesterday when Real Madrid, who had tracked him last season, were reported to have said he is too old to join them.
Drogba, 29, has made his feelings known that he has been unsettled by what has happened, but has had a meeting with new boss Avram Grant and told him he will give him his full backing. He only signed a new deal last season and would not find it easy to get away.
Madrid are more likely to turn to Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, who is 31, than take on another front man to share the goalscoring burden with Ruud van Nistelrooy, 31, and Raul 30.
Although manager Bernd Schuster has stated he wants Drogba, Real president Ramon Calderon makes the final decisions. Germany international Ballack will soon be fully fit after two ankle operations and Madrid will continue to monitor the situation.
DILEMMA: Roman Abramovich
Thursday September 27,2007
By Tony Banks
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has put Guus Hiddink on the spot and asked him whether he wants to stay with Russia or join Chelsea.
Abramovich still has veteran coach Hiddink at the top of his list to replace Jose Mourinho, but he faces a major dilemma.
The Daily Express understands the Russian Football Federation have offered Hiddink, 60, a new deal up to the 2010 World Cup – whether his team qualify for Euro 2008 or not.
Abramovich asked me, ‘What do you want
That deal has been offered to the Dutchman with the full knowledge of Abramovich, who pays 50 per cent of his £1.2million-a-year wages and was responsible for taking Hiddink to Moscow in the first place.
Hiddink said last night: “Abramovich asked me, ‘What do you want?’ I told him that right now I want to do nothing else except concentrate on Russia. I want to see this through now and then see what happens.”
However, it is understood that Hiddink, whose current deal runs out in 2008, is seriously considering the new offer from the RFF and could decide to stay on in international management.
Hiddink, who lives in a five-star hotel in Moscow with his partner Elizabeth, said: “We like living in Moscow and they seem to like us. We have started a project here with this team and they want us to stay on for another two years after the European Championships.”
Abramovich still wants Hiddink in west London, but is reluctant to take the highly-rated former PSV Eindhoven, Holland, South Korea and Australia coach away from his country’s national team unless the Dutchman announces publicly he wants out.
He would not do that in any case until the end of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. That could be as early as next month for the Russians, because if they fail to beat England in Moscow on October 17 their chances of making it to the finals will be slim.
But the new offer means even then Abramovich may not get his man. Another Dutchman, current Holland coach Marco van Basten, is also on the list. But he, too, will not leave his current job until after Euro 2008 – and his team look set to make it to the finals.
Meanwhile, Didier Drogba’s unhappiness at Stamford Bridge following Mourinho’s departure was compounded yesterday when Real Madrid, who had tracked him last season, were reported to have said he is too old to join them.
Drogba, 29, has made his feelings known that he has been unsettled by what has happened, but has had a meeting with new boss Avram Grant and told him he will give him his full backing. He only signed a new deal last season and would not find it easy to get away.
Madrid are more likely to turn to Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, who is 31, than take on another front man to share the goalscoring burden with Ruud van Nistelrooy, 31, and Raul 30.
Although manager Bernd Schuster has stated he wants Drogba, Real president Ramon Calderon makes the final decisions. Germany international Ballack will soon be fully fit after two ankle operations and Madrid will continue to monitor the situation.