Anelka hands Hiddink a sky-blue send-off

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.

A replacement is already on the way.

Owner Roman Abramovich was in the stands to see goals from Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka earn Chelsea a win that typified their improvement under a manager who has transformed the club since replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari on a temporary, part-time basis.

But as the fans sung his name and Hiddink took his bow it was becoming increasingly clear he really will be leaving after the FA Cup final on May 30 to return to his post with the Russian national team.

Abramovich squirmed uncomfortably in his seat as fans called for Hiddink to be given an extended contract and laughed as they sung ‘Roman, Roman sign him up’.

But the truth of the matter is Chelsea already have a preferred replacement, the AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, and not even 40,000 voices chanting ‘You can stick your Ancelotti up your a***’ is going to change the situation – a fact revealed in chairman Bruce Buck’s programme notes.

“Guus has stolen our hearts and kept our dreams alive,” he wrote. “He has been superb here and all the players and staff will miss him.

“The board and Roman are actively engaged in recruiting a new manager who we believe can lead the Blues to trophy after trophy next season and beyond and also endear himself to us fans as much as Guus has. We hope to make an announcement sooner rather than later.”

Of course there is still time for the Hiddink era to end in even more emotional fashion when his team play Everton at Wembley in a fortnight’s time but his last game at Stamford Bridge was also a fitting epitaph to his contribution this season.

The opening goal was scored by Malouda, one of the players who has been totally transformed under Hiddink’s guidance.

It took only four minutes to arrive as the French winger connected perfectly with an Anelka cross to bullet a header into the roof of Paul Robinson’s net.

The goal was significant because there was a widely-held opinion at Chelsea earlier in the season that Malouda would be quickly shipped on at the end of the campaign after a lamentable start to his career in England.

Not only had he failed to provide the goals and momentum expected of him on the left wing under Scolari but his body language was so negative that few believed he cared about his future at Stamford Bridge or justified the money invested in him.

Under Hiddink, however, Malouda has become one of Chelsea’s most important players, providing width, creativity, crosses and goals.

Anelka, who crowned an excellent performance by stroking home a classic shot from the edge of the area after 59 minutes, has also revelled in Hiddink’s system which allows for two men up front in home games and accommodates the Frenchman in a wider role on other occasions.

“Since he came we have played much better so it is very important for the players and for the club,” Anelka said. “Now we want to win something as well in the FA Cup.”

Anelka is beginning to build a rapport with the Chelsea faithful, who began their first chants of ‘There’s only one Guus Hiddink’ after 51 minutes and were still singing the manager’s name in the post-match lap of honour.

They probably knew in their hearts it was all in vain but as Hiddink bowed, Japanese-style, to each side of the ground there wasn’t a person inside Stamford Bridge who wasn’t thinking what an opportunity the club has missed in not being able to secure the Dutchman to a longer contract. “I have had many second thoughts, sometimes third,” admitted the man himself.

“You cannot avoid thinking it, you don’t have this button to switch off feelings. But it is what it is.

“When I saw the reaction of the fans and the way the players have worked I feel a kind of sadness to go. But that’s reality. I have given my commitment to Russia and I have to fulfil that.”

Hiddink signed off his press conference by insisting Chelsea will need to strengthen their squad to challenge Manchester United next season and claiming he has played no part in choosing his successor.

“They are in this process but I don’t feel the need to go into next season,” he said.

“They have made up their mind maybe but you should ask the management.”

An announcement on the new manager’s is expected imminently, with all eyes trained on Milan, but Ancelotti, or whoever it is, will have a tough job to replace Hiddink in the hearts of a Chelsea crowd who have only just forgotten Jose Mourinho.

REFEREE: Rob Styles (Hampshire) 5: Continued every referee’s policy of refusing to award Chelsea a penalty at Stamford Bridge.

MATCH RATING: *** There was an end-of-season feel to a game with nothing really riding on it.