Findcate

Roman Abramovich has told Chelsea’s board to find a managerial hard man to replace the sacked Avram Grant. The club have yet to identify who will become their third manager in nine months, but they have put together a shortlist focusing on renowned disciplinarians, believed to include Guus Hiddink, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Marcello Lippi, with Mark Hughes the home-grown candidate.

Pini Zahavi, who for several years has acted as a buying agent for Chelsea, is pushing the credentials of his friend Sven-G?ran Eriksson, whom Abramovich has attempted to hire on two previous occasions, but the former England manager’s reputation for indulging his players would appear to rule him out this time. Frank Rijkaard and Roberto Mancini, who have won domestic titles with Barcelona and Inter Milan respectively, also fall into this category.

However, the intervention of Abramovich could change that. Hiddink has not signed a two-year contract extension that was agreed with the Russian FA in March and, as a guest at the Champions League final last week, told a packed Luzhniki Stadium in English that he still hoped to work in the Barclays Premier League.

Hiddink is perhaps the only candidate to fulfil all of the criteria that the Chelsea board have been given in their search for a manager. His track record, coaching skills and tactical acumen are impeccable he has taken four countries to leading finals and won the Champions League with PSV Eindhoven as is his English.

Tags: acumen, avram grant, barclays, barclays premier league, cate, champion, champions league, champions league final, chelsea, contract extension, disciplinarians, domestic titles, england manager, felipe scolari, frank rijkaard, hard man, hiddink, inter milan, luiz felipe scolari, luzhniki stadium, marcello lippi, mark hughes, premier league, roberto mancini, roman abramovich, shortlist, zahavi

Related posts

• Panathinaikos name ex-Chelsea man as new boss
• Henk ten Cate exits Chelsea as search continues to find Avram Grant successor
• Quiet man at the centre of Barcelona’s revival
• Hiddink Extends Russia Contract
• Chelsea line up Ajax coach in Stamford Bridge shake-up
• Ten Cate in hot water over Chelsea player outburst
• Jol on Ajax alert as Ten Cate flies into Chelsea
• Grant wins quietly where Mourinho failed loudly
• Grant curses his luck at being unable to match Mourinho’s bright start
• Drogba changes his tune after Chelsea silence song launch

John TerryThere were reports this week of a falling out with Henk Ten Cate that suggests he is at boiling point. This could be born out of frustration over injuries. Terry has played only 18 times for Chelsea this season and finds his starting-place under threat. His England place is also exposed.Frank LampardThe midfielder was left out of the side that played Olympiakos last week, a trend that could continue now Michael Ballack is in form. Should Avram Grant decide to play the German he could end up pushing Lampard out of the door. He has yet to sign a contract extension.Joe ColeThe decision to leave Cole out of Sunday’s starting line-up was strange considering he has openly praised Grant for revitalising his career. The Israeli may have alienated one of the few players who back him.Didier Drogba/Nicolas AnelkaGrant’s insistence on deploying a 4-3-3 formation will mean either Drogba or Anelka playing out of position or not all. Either outcome could harm Chelsea. As shown on Sunday, when Anelka started on the left of a front three, an unbalanced side is an ineffective side, but leaving out one of the two strongest characters in English football may damage morale.Upcoming matchesChelsea’s next three matches are in all the competitions they are still in, with each containing the potential for disaster. They go to West Ham on Saturday in the league before the visit of Olympiakos in the Champions League four days later. Chelsea then travel to Liverpool’s conquerors Barnsley in the FA Cup.Mourinho’s legacyGrant has yet to hear his name sung by Chelsea’s supporters and popularity will be hard to find as he struggles to assert himself while Mourinho’s shadow continues to hang over Stamford Bridge. The Israeli has won 24 out of his first 35 matches in charge but Mourinho won 27 and did not lose to Manchester United or Arsenal in that run. Mourinho also won the Carling Cup last season.

Tags: avram grant, cate, champion, champions league, chelsea, contract extension, ford, henk, john terry, lampard, manchester united, ten cate

Related posts

• John Terry’s miss brings pain that his battered body has yet to endure
• Grant wins quietly where Mourinho failed loudly
• Grant curses his luck at being unable to match Mourinho’s bright start
• Give Avram Grant credit: He is the real deal
• Silly Little Men; and John Terry v Henk Ten Cate
• Rijkaard throws hat into ring for Chelsea job
• Klinsmann ‘ready for talks’ over Spurs job
• Henk ten Cate exits Chelsea as search continues to find Avram Grant successor
• Grant struggling to cope with Chelsea’s surplus of riches
• Grant admits interest in Ten Cate

Guus Hiddink agreed to a two-year contract extension as Russia soccer coach through the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, ruling him out of a move to English Premier League team Chelsea.

The 60-year-old Dutchman, who signed a two-year deal with Russia after leading Australia to the second round of last year World Cup, decided to stay on after discussions with Russian Football Union President Vitaly Mutko. Newspaper reports in the U.K. had linked Hiddink with a move to Chelsea, whose coach Jose Mourinho left last month.

We have reached an agreement that Guus will stay Russia coach until the summer of 2010, Mutko said yesterday on the Union Web site. The details are still to be finalized, but onthe whole we are satisfied with his work.

Russia has won eight of 12 matches since Hiddink appointment and is third in its qualifying group for next year European Championships behind Croatia and England.

Hiddink extension isnt dependent on the team advancing to the 16-nation tournament, Mutko added.

Russia, ranked 26th by world governing body FIFA, won its only major title at the 1960 European Championships. Hiddink led the Netherlands and South Korea to World Cup semifinals.

Chelsea, which appointed Avram Grant as Mourinhoreplacement on Sept. 20, yesterday said that it reached an agreement with Ajax to recruit Henk ten Cate from the 29-time
Dutch champion as assistant first-team coach.

The London club wants to hire Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard at the end of the season as Mourinhos long-term successor, newspapers including the Daily Mail reported this week.

Tags: ajax, appointment, avram grant, cate, champion, chelsea, contract extension, dutchman, europe, frank rijkaard, henk, hiddink, old dutchman, premier league, team coach, ten cate

Related posts

• Chelsea Confirms Appointment of Ten Cate as Assistant Coach
• Zola turns down chance to join Grant’s regime
• Ten Cate arrives to put a bit of Bar鏰 into Chelsea
• Chelsea Reaches Accord With Ajax to Appoint Coach Henk ten Cate
• Chelsea line up Ajax coach in Stamford Bridge shake-up
• Ten Cate takes over at Pana
• Quiet man at the centre of Barcelona’s revival
• Panathinaikos name ex-Chelsea man as new boss
• Jol on Ajax alert as Ten Cate flies into Chelsea
• Chelsea Wants Rijkaard