Chelsea can succeed with Hiddink, says Courtois

Chelsea‘s new interim manager Guus Hiddink (L), former player Didier Drogba (C) and Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich walk onto the pitch to speak to the players after winning the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge in London on December 19, 2015.

Dutchman Hiddink was speaking in his first media conference since being appointed until the end of the season following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

And the 52-year-old Mourinho seemed to be issuing a reminder to future employers when the statement stressed: “During his career, Jose has sometimes chosen to leave a club, but only at Chelsea has the club decided that he should leave”. “[My being here] means things are not going as well as foreseen at the beginning of the season”.

New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has laid down the law to his players, telling them they have an obligation to succeed.

He helped them win the FA Cup, took them to the semi-finals of the Champions League and steered them to third in the Premier League, seven points behind champions Manchester United. There’s no lack of confidence in the way they perform. “I do not do that to anyone, in football and in life”, the Portuguese said. “I like teams to have a spine from central defence, to midfield to attack to have strong leaders who can coach throughout”.

We’ll talk briefly. But I’ve been working now a couple of days with the team, two sessions.

Chelsea boss Hiddink’s No1 priority is likely to be Leicester’s in-form England striker Jamie Vardy as they desperately try to climb up the Premier League. I owe you a lot and we will all miss you.

“Absolutely [they have to get the fans back on side], and rightly so, Chelsea are such a big club, we’re not used to this and have had a lot of success over the last 10 years”.

Chelsea next play high-flying newly promoted side Watford at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.

“First we said let’s go to mid-May, and then let’s see. That’s the reality of today’s situation, and I’m glad to be back”. We cannot ignore what has happened in the recent past but I have asked them to be professionals and see if they can give themselves the best of the team.

Although he is one of the world’s hottest managerial properties, Simeone’s appointment would come with huge risk factors. But he is playing for Montreal, under contract. “But if they show they are competitive I am not against using them”. So it’s nice for guys with these big hearts to connect them somehow with the club.