In Chelsea FC, it's very rare that a manager is actually beloved by every single worker inside the institution. This happened with Jose Mourinho before his fall out with the board and some players, and it's now happening with Guus Hiddink as he is about to leave the club to let Italian Antonio Conte take his place for good. It's a bit sad for a part of the fans and the players that Guus is leaving, because they all regard him as a wise man who deserved to stay inside the club as the main manager.
But Hiddink is already at an advanced age (69), and all the stress that comes with the position of a manager is something that isn't very suitable for him right now. That's why he accepted the job as interim manager for the second time, this doesn't mean that he will be leaving for good and will completely disappear from the face of the earth. Guus confirmed that his intention is to keep the ties with Chelsea as strong as possible, even considering on taking a position as an ambassador for the club during the twilight of his life.
Before the last EPL match against champions Leicester City, Hiddink spoke to the press about his farewell: "It sounds dramatic, but I know every now and then I will come back and see what I can do – help out the young players. It's not a definite role. It's not an official role, but I will be back, so it's less dramatic than it seems. When they asked me to come, to be honest, I did not think much to say yes or no, I was very pleased that I could do it. I had the energy still to perform, deliver and do what we have done. Of course, I would have loved once we escaped from danger to go into an FA Cup final, another one or two more Champions League rounds, but we could not fulfill that. In general, I am happy with the last half year."
Photo credit: Chelsea FC