Chief denies Hiddink link
Russian Football Union President Vitaly Mutko has denied press reports that the country’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink may quit early to take over from Jose Mourinho as manager of Chelsea.
The Sunday Mirror quoted unnamed sources at Chelsea as saying Mourinho may leave the London club at the end of the 2006/7 season. The newspaper said Hiddink was the favourite to take over.
"He (Hiddink) has a contract, he is the current manager of the national side, and while his contract is in force no one can consider him as a candidate for another post," Mutko told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
Hiddink signed a 2-1/2 year contract to coach the Russian team in April last year.
Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich also pays a portion of Hiddink’s wages and helped bring the Dutchman to Moscow.
And the 60-year-old Dutchman - who has previously coached Fenerbahce, Valencia and Real Madrid as well as the Netherlands, South Korea and Australia - admitted that Abramovich has been in contact with him.
"Roman Abramovich was here the other day," Hiddink revealed.
"He and I talked for a while about a number of things. He stays in the background and he is not pushy with things. I get on with him very well.
"I have the energy to go and do something new. That will give me a lot of satisfaction. The last few years I have enjoyed a lot of success but the job of Russia coach is not easy.
"It’s really time to say in Russia ‘Borodjuk takes over now’. I’m grooming my assistant as a top-class coach so I’m no longer needed soon."
Reuters - - - 07/01/2007 21:15
