So Much News About Ex-Chelsea Managers Today!
Potentially spurious news time: Guus Hiddink will be the next Turkish NT coach.
Let’s back up a moment. The Russian FA just voted in former Zenit St. Petersburg president Sergei Fursenko as the new FA head, and his first order of business will be to meet with Hiddink and discuss his future with the Russian national team. As we all know, Russia failed to make this summer’s World Cup, and Hiddink’s contract with the Russians expires in June.
With such a big negotiation looming, speculation is rampant all over Europe as to Hiddink’s next move (not that he’s even figured it out himself yet, mind you), and the strongest rumors, reported rather irresponsibly by Turkish television, is that the prodigious Dutchman has agreed in principle to coach the Turkish national team through 2012.
To add to the mix, Turkish newspaper Fanatik reckons that Hiddink could be anointed as Turkey’s coach as early as this week so he can represent the team at Sunday’s draw for the Euro 2012 qualifying groups to be held in Warsaw.
So, what do we think?
We’ll overlook the fact that such agreements probably aren’t allowed while still under contract, though even if they are, it’s not good to double-cross the Russians and make new friends behind their back. With Fursenko and Hiddink not yet scheduled to meet, one might think that Guus is not looking to get a contract extension and to try his hand elsewhere.
If Hiddink is to remain in charge of the Russians — and why would he? His resume shows him flipping jobs every 3-4 years for a new challenge, and he joined the Russian NT in 2006 — then Fursenko has his work cut out, especially when you consider that even today, The Daily Mail is reporting that the prolific coach will see out his contract until the summer before returning to the EPL to coach Liverpool.
Whatever is true or most likely will play out soon enough, and while there’s no clear front-runner for his services just yet, I think we can safely say that Hiddink will be moving on this summer whether Fursenko likes it or not.
UPDATE: Reuters is reporting that the pressure on the Chinese NT to buy the best available coach makes them a strong contender to claim Hiddink’s signature. Make of what what you will.
Guus is the new, improved Bora Milutinovic.
Pretty much! Or, you could go with Carlos Alberto Parreira, who now matches Milutinovic for 5 WC appearances since taking on the South Africa job (though to give props to Bora, Carlos managed Brazil on two separate occasions).