When Roman sacked Mourinho, he effectively took a gamble, a big gamble. He gambled on the team rediscovering their form once that big, bad bully Jose had gone. 

Fulham manager Martin Jol has revealed he took the advice of fellow Dutchmen Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat before signing striker Pavel Pogrebnyak from Stuttgart.

“THE club is committed to what we are building. They did not pay £15 million to get me out of Porto to pay me another fortune to get me out.”

Ray Wilkins says Andre Villas-Boas’ biggest challenge as Chelsea manager will be to win over some of the high-profile names in the Stamford Bridge dressing room.

GUUS HIDDINK’S agent yesterday insisted the Dutchman would not quit as Turkey manager to take over at Chelsea, despite the resignation of the man who appointed him.

Guus Hiddink’s agent today insisted the Dutchman would not quit as Turkey manager to take over at Chelsea, despite the resignation of the man who appointed him.

Guus Hiddink’s agent claims his client is still “very happy” in his current position as Turkey manager despite claims he is edging closer to a return to Chelsea.

The agent of Turkey manager Guus Hiddink has dismissed reports linking the Dutchman with the Liverpool job.

ROBINHO is set for a quick return to England, after the recently departed Manchester City striker was named in the Brazil squad for next month’s friendly against Ireland in London.

Guus Hiddink has been approached by Manchester City, according to the Russia manager’s agent.

THERE is nothing more exhila-rating than an injury time winner — the explosion of emotion and joy — especially when you have all but given up hope.

“HE leaned against the rail of the Cape Town, the ship of his flight.

GUUS HIDDINK’S greatest legacy at Chelsea may not be the sight of the FA Cup sitting in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet or even the way he transformed an under-performing side into a powerful force once more, but rather the sight of Franck Ribery and David Villa in a blue shirt next season.

Michael Ballack has urged the Chelsea board to give Carlo Ancelotti time to settle in after agreeing in principle to stay at Stamford Bridge for another year.

Frank Lampard believes winning the FA Cup is the perfect send-off for departing interim manager Guus Hiddink.

THERE will more than just a trophy at stake for Chelsea at Wembley in the FA Cup Final today with the eyes of the world fixed on the club for the first time since an infamous Champions League exit against Barcelona.

Roman Abramovich is prepared to splash out on a big-money signing this summer, according to Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.

THE actual match was secondary on Sunday as for once the Chelsea crowd were unanimous in their sentiments and wanted to ensure that Roman Abramovich heard it loud and clear.

THE Shed End sang “Guus Hiddink, we want you to stay” as Chelsea marked the Dutchman’s Stamford Bridge swan-song with the most effortless of victories, but it is too late.

YOU would have thought that Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Mephistopheles and all the gathered cohorts of evil had lined up against Barcelona last week considering the wailing that has been coming from the Catalans since. Now that that nasty Mourinho bloke has left, they obviously expected us to follow UEFA’s unwritten rules of allowing Barcelona to score at will.

Goal hero Didier Drogba insists Chelsea’s season will be viewed as a failure if they do not win any silverware.

IF CHELSEA thought they had shaken off some kind of eternal European foe in defeating Liverpool, after one of the Champions League’s all-time classic matches, then they are about to feel like Butch and Sundance did every time they looked over their shoulders and saw the Pinkerton detectives relentlessly appearing on the horizon to pursue them.

OF all the qualities Guus Hiddink has brought to Chelsea since he took up his fire-fighting role in February, the most valuable is that he has helped rediscover the art of winning.

THE PHRASE “the sublime to the ridiculous” could have been penned for Chelsea FC. Whether it be Osgood to Mayes, Mourinho to Grant or last Wednesday’s spectacular performance up at Anfield to the extraordinary finish to Saturday’s game against Bolton.

CHELSEA chairman Bruce Buck has hinted at a possible summer clear-out at Stamford Bridge after dismissing suggestions of a return for former boss Jose Mourinho.

GEORDIES are a strange breed; Newcastle only have to announce the signing of a second-rate player and for whom they have paid well over the odds and they all descend on St James’s Park in their thousands, loud and invariably bare-chested (and that’s just the women), telling all and sundry that this is the signing that will change their fortunes.

TOTTENHAM striker Roman Pavlyuchenko wants to play his part in Guus Hiddink staying as Russia coach on a full-time basis.

TURIN was a blast, or so I’m told, confined as I was to my hotel room for the three days due to illness.

Frank Lampard fears the Premier League title may be out of Chelsea’s reach this season.

SO Goose has passed his first test and will be facing the next this evening; win tonight and the feelgood factor will be well and truly back for the blue faithful, although I wasn’t one of those singing “Chelsea are back” at the final whistle up at Villa Park. Premature crowing often leaves egg on one’s face — doesn’t it Rafa?

ONE of the most damning indictments of Scolari’s reign was that even Nice Bloke Wilkins was more capable of changing a game than the World Cup winning boss as he demonstrated at Watford last Saturday.

Assistant coach Ray Wilkins intends to remain working alongside new boss Guus Hiddink until he is told otherwise by Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger must decide whether to take a gamble on Eduardo and throw the striker back into action for Arsenal’s FA Cup fourth-round replay against Cardiff on Monday night.

Frank Rijkaard's agent insists the Dutchman would "consider" the Chelsea manager's job and would not be scared off by the ruthless reputation of club owner Roman Abramovich.

AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti today emerged as the main contender for the Chelsea job at the end of the season.

Frank Rijkaard’s agent insists the Dutchman would “consider” the Chelsea manager’s job and would not be scared off by the ruthless reputation of club owner Roman Abramovich.

Guus Hiddink’s agent expects his client will speak to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich over the managerial vacancy at the London club following the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari.

HOLLAND coach Marco van Basten is full of praise for the job fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink has done with Russia, but believes his team should have enough to progress from tonight’s Euro 2008 quarter-final between the nations.

RUSSIA coach Guus Hiddink will make a late decision on unleashing Andrei Arshavin against Sweden, giving the playmaker another opportunity to spark interest among Premier League clubs.

Guus Hiddink will not be the next manager of Chelsea, according to the Russia manager’s agent.

Russia manager Guus Hiddink will never make a return to club management despite reports linking him with Chelsea, his agent has revealed.

FORMER England manager Bobby Robson will recommend a list of five men for the national team job to the Football Association — and none of them are English.

Guus Hiddink’s agent has refused to rule out the possibility of the England managerial contender becoming Russia’s new technical director.

Guus Hiddink’s agent admits the Dutchman would “definitely be interested in hearing from the Football Association” if they approached him to take over from Sven-Goran Eriksson.