Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our coverage of Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea press conference.
The interim Blues manager, who will make way for Antonio Conte at the end of the season, is preparing his side for a trip to Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Chelsea have just two games remaining of what has been their worst season since Roman Abramovich took control of the club as they limp towards the finish line.
Beaten by relegation candidates Sunderland at the weekend, Hiddink will be looking for a big response from his team at Anfield against a buoyant Reds outfit.
Hiddink will be without John Terry though as he begins a suspension and may never play for the Blues again after failing to land a new contract offer.
We’ll bring you all the latest from Hiddink when we get it while also bringing you right up-to-date with all the goings on in west London in the past few days.
Key Events
That's all, folks
And like that, Guus Hiddink drifts off into the sunset...
Or at least, moves on to the written press.
And here are the highlights from the press conference.
- Hiddink believes leader John Terry can continue playing
- Liverpool are dangerous under Jurgen Klopp
- The coach wants new manager Antonio Conte to have a fresh start
- Hiddink believes club legends will remain at the club
Hiddink HAS spoken to JT about coaching
Terry’s future was once more the subject of questioning from reporters.
And Hiddink confirmed that when standing alongside the former England centre back at the Bournemouth match, he spoke about the feeling of being manager.
He said: “Yeah the other day we were speaking to each other before the game in Bournemouth.
“We discussed about sitting in that spot. It felt good.
“Those players have the experience, like in the past, Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman, they were also in the latter period of their career.
“They start thinking what should I do now? Most of them want to stay in football.
“John has always been a leader, you can always rely on him.
“He can make this step, but you need time to switch off from your career in my experience, then time to start your manager career.”
Hiddink says goodbye for now, but not forever
With a new manager incoming, there have been rumours that Conte will want a full overhaul of the playing squad.
But Hiddink brushed off questions over the players’ future, but insisted he will not be permanently leaving the club.
He added: “A lot of people have been saying goodbye?
“I have been here before, it won’t be forever, but I have mentioned that I will be here, not in the spotlight.”
Hiddink believes Blues legends will eventually return
Chelsea have two Premier League matches remaining in their season, and yet the future of captain John Terry remains unclear.
It has increased frustrations at Stamford Bridge, as fans believe their ‘captain, leader, legend’ deserves better.
But the Dutchman brushed aside claims that fans are even more frustrated.
He said: “I do not know the fans’ state of mind.
“It’s not a question for me - the board and the management.
“Whatever the club might think - it’s difficult for me to answer about John Terry.
“If he stays, it’s clear, if he goes.. In the last option, he deserves a huge goodbye.
“It’s never really goodbye, after going away, calming down, they can make a big impact on the culture of the club.
“Like Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech, they can be very useful.”
Dutch coach could remain in England
Hiddink’s tenure at Chelsea will end after the Leicester City match at Stamford Bridge.
But, he insists, he will remain involved in football, and possibly even the country.
He added: “I will be involved, not in the limelight. Helping clubs, players. What we can improve.
“This week, for instance, we had a small encounter with a company following development of young players.
“The technical part of the game. In Holland, I am an adviser with them.
“We like it very much, it’s a modern approach. I like to do those things - here or elsewhere.”
Dutchman wary of Liverpool threat
Chelsea face Liverpool on Wednesday night as they seek to end the season with a string of victories.
Jurgen Klopp took over the Reds in October and has since started transforming them into a formidable outfit.
And the interim Blues boss acknowledges their new threat.
Hiddink: “Everyone will be at the top next season - including Liverpool.
“They have made a change, it’s always been an energetic club, huge history. It’s good to see.
“They can be very resilient, they were down in the Europa League against Dortmund, and made it up in the last second.
“A strong mental team. It’s nice to watch them play.”
Hiddink frustrated by trophy failure
The Blues coach replaced Jose Mourinho in December, with the club lingering just one point above the relegation zone.
Hiddink reinstated the Blues’ fearful record - and for a long time they remained undefeated.
But the Dutchman admits he was frustrated but his failure to bring silverware back to Stamford Bridge.
He added: “Yeah, it would be a disaster. Of course, when I talk about big words like disaster, I think of bigger things in the world.
“When we go into closed football world, you may call it a disaster. Chelsea must be always in the top, as they are used to. Even better, fighting for silverware.
“I was asked to get out of relegation zone, with no other targets. I talked before in a positive way when unexpected things happen, no one expected Leicester.
“In a positive way they managed, in a negative way, it would have been possible that Chelsea were challenging for relegation.
“We did it, relatively fast, I liked to set another target - the FA Cup, Champions League finals - but that did not happen.
“You re-set your goals, as a team, which we did.”
Hiddink wants Antonio Conte to have a fresh start
Antonio Conte is set to take charge at Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Current incumbent Guus Hiddink will not brief him on the Chelsea team, however.
He said: “I want to be fair to the players, I’m not going to give judgement. I have to work with them now.
“They are clever enough to make their own judgement.
“I didn’t want information in December - everyone has a coloured view, right or wrong. However you make your judgement.”
Hiddink: Terry CAN play on
Chelsea’s skipper has already played his final match for the Blues after his red card last weekend against Sunderland. Since then, he has been spotted at Brondby, where he has been mooted with a possible manager position when he departs Stamford Bridge.
Hiddink said: He has been training the recent days. Of course, when you come on the pitch for training after being sent off, it’s not the most beautiful thing. In training, he started to lift up his morale and trained ok. But being there in the last few days.
“When I make a judgement on how he plays, fitness, age, he’s able to continue. Where? It’s up to the club.
“It would have been last game, that’s not up to me. In any case, it’s not been a good season, so it’s always good to see the key players playing.
“Especially for your own crowd, and champions Leicester.”
Here comes Guus Hiddink...
The Dutchman has emerged for his penultimate pre-game press conference in charge of Chelsea.
The Blues do enjoy a fierce rivalry with their Anfield counterparts, and Hiddink will no doubt be relishing a game of such intensity in one of his final games.
Here’s what the former Netherlands and Australia boss has to say...
Hiddink immminent
Guus Hiddink will be taking his seat here in a few moments.
He’ll be talking Liverpool and a certain Mr John Terry.
Stay tuned for updates, this should be interesting!
Timeline for Terry
John Terry is bracing himself for an emotional farewell as the clock ticks down on his Chelsea career.
The Blues have two Premier League fixtures remaining as they travel to Liverpool on Wednesday before hosting champions Leicester City on the final weekend.
Skipper Terry will play no part in either of those fixtures though after being shown his second red card of the season in the defeat to Sunderland on Saturday.
Terry is out of contract in the summer and has so far received no offer from the club to extend his 18-year stay at Stamford Bridge by another 12 months.
Missing out on the chance to pull on the famous blue shirt one last time in front of his own fans against the Foxes left the defender inconsolable at the Stadium of Light.
As we advance through the final week of what has been a forgettable campaign for Chelsea , here is how Terry’s final days in west London are expected to pan out.
Matic tipped to join Jose at Man United
Nemanja Matic has refused to rule out leaving Chelsea and claims he has his own reasons for not celebrating his goal at Sunderland.
Matic scored on the stroke of half-time to restore Chelsea’s lead at the Stadium of Lightbefore the Black Cats produced a dramatic turnaround on Wearside.
The towering Serbian midfielder remained emotionless after finding the net to raise more questions over his future as speculation mounts he could depart Stamford Bridge.
Juventus are credited with an interest in signing the tall Blues star and it is rumoured the Italians are eyeing up a £20million transfer swoop this summer.
Manchester United have also been mentioned as a potential bidder if Jose Mourinho gets the Old Trafford job.
Matic’s unusual reaction to scoring only adds fuel to those rumours and the 27-year-old’s reasoning behind his actions will do little to quell the transfer talk.
Free agents available to Conte
Roman Abramovich will give Antonio Conte funds to freshen up the squad at Stamford Bridge next season.
The Italian will replace outgoing boss Guus Hiddink in west London this summer after leading out his country at Euro 2016 in France.
Conte is already drawing up a list of transfer targets in an attempt to restore the Blues to the summit of English football.
However, new Premier League champions Leicester City have proven you don’t have to spend silly money to achieve success.
The Foxes shocked the football world by storming to the title with bargain buys and former non-league striker Jamie Vardy banging in the goals.
You can’t get more of a bargain than a freebie and there’s plenty of out-of contract starsChelsea can snap up for nothing in July - unless they agree terms in the meantime.
Here’s a look at which players Conte could take a punt on this summer.
John Terry was in Denmark yesterday to watch Brondby.
He gave an interview to the club’s in-house TV station expressing a desire to play on for two more years at Chelsea.
As it stands though, no offer has been made from the Blues and he will leave at the end of the season.
Terry also sent this message to the Brondby supporters.
What did we learn from Sunderland?
It was a disastrous afternoon for Chelsea at the Stadium of Light as they twice threw away the lead to taste defeat against Sunderland.
The Black Cats are embroiled in a relegation battle and they fought for their lives to rescue three points with a 3-2 comeback victory.
It keeps their Premier League fate in their own hands with two games remaining and Chelsea can’t wait for the end of the season to come quick enough either.
Guus Hiddink’s side are limping towards the finish line as the club prepares for a new era under the management of Italian Antonio Conte.
It looks likely they will be entering that new era without John Terry and the captain endured a torrid afternoon as he was sent off at Sunderland.
The suspension which will follow will rule him out for the remainder of the campaign and it seems as though the captain may have played his last game for the club.
Here’s five things we learned from an eventful match at the Stadium of Light.
Distraught Terry to serve ban
Guus Hiddink revealed Chelsea skipper John Terry was inconsolable in the dressing room after being sent off during the 3-2 defeat to Sunderland.
The captain, leader, legend was given his marching orders late on for a second bookable offence and flung away the armband in disgust at the Stadium of Light.
He looked distraught as the realisation that his second red card of the season would rule him out of the final two games of the campaign began to dawn on him.
Terry is out of contract at the end of the season and has not been offered a new deal by the club as they prepare to head into a new era under Antonio Conte.
Interim Blues boss Hiddink did not speak with his captain before facing the media and left him staring into space in the changing area in the bowels of the Wearside groud.
He said: “We don’t know what his future is at this moment but for this season, it’s sad because it would have been lovely to have had it in our last home game at home, the Leicester game, the champions, and have a very nice party game, let’s call it that, and it’s sad that he is not participating in that.”
Welcome folks
Good afternoon and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea press conference.
The interim Blues manager, who will make way for Antonio Conte at the end of the season, is preparing his side for a trip to Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Chelsea have just two games remaining of what has been their worst season since Roman Abramovich took control of the club as they limp towards the finish line.
Beaten by relegation candidates Sunderland at the weekend, Hiddink will be looking for a big response from his team at Anfield against a buoyant Reds outfit.
Hiddink will be without John Terry though as he begins a suspension and may never play for the Blues again after failing to land a new contract offer.
We’ll bring you all the latest from Hiddink when we get it while also bringing you right up-to-date with all the goings on in west London in the past few days.
