SOCCER:GUUS HIDDINK spoke last night of "alarm bells" ringing at Stamford Bridge over the weekend as Chelsea's defence caved in late against Bolton, yet there seems little prospect of complacency dragging into this evening's second leg of the Champions League quarter-final.
Liverpool arrive in west London effectively confronted by the same situation they faced against Milan at half-time in the final of this competition four years ago. The hosts will not countenance another miracle of Istanbul.
Hiddink outwitted Rafael Benitez in securing last week’s startling 3-1 success at Anfield and will adopt a similarly adventurous approach tonight, even with the onus on the visitors. Yet, while his first-leg game-plan caught the eye, arguably the manager’s greatest achievement since assuming the reins back in February has been to convince players all too aware that he is only in charge on a temporary basis that they should buy into his philosophy.
Manchester United veered off course some seven years ago when Alex Ferguson very publicly considered retirement at the end of the campaign. Chelsea have been galvanised. “We challenge each other in this group in a very open and direct way,” explained Hiddink. “We can be tough about that if it’s needed, but there’s one aim: to get to the next round. If players are under-performing in the knowledge that the manager is leaving at the end of the season, it’s not the right professional attitude. We’re very sharp on that.
“Even though I’m not here next year, they have to respond. If they don’t, they’re not equipped to be a big club.
“There is no ‘special bond’ with the players. We’re not close. I have to make decisions that some players will not like sometimes and tell them they’re not playing.
“I don’t play games with them. I don’t like that. A manager should not be having bonds and friendships [with his players]. I like a very straightforward, direct approach because then you can challenge them in a way to be professional.”
With that in mind, there is unlikely to be a repeat of the eight minutes of mayhem that saw Bolton score three times in the second half on Saturday, even in the absence of the suspended John Terry tonight. Ricardo Carvalho and Alex have played only twice together this term which will dicate that Chelsea will go for the jugular to put Liverpool out of reach. Of the 25 teams to win away from home in the knock-out phase of the rejigged Champions League, only one – Panathinaikos against Ajax back in 1996 – have gone on to be eliminated in the return. Hiddink’s team are set upon avoiding emulating the Greeks.
The prospect remains very real that the 62-year-old could end his 15-week tenure by leading this club to a second successive European Cup final, with Chelsea reaffirming their belief yesterday that they will be unable to strike a deal with the Russian Football Federation to retain his services beyond the end of May.
“It is purely a temporary role,” said the chairman, Bruce Buck. “There has been a lot of speculation about him staying, particularly as he has been doing a great job. That will not be the case. It is now up to the board to find a new manager for the long-term and that is a process that we have started.”
The Milan manager, Carlo Ancelotti, is on that short-list with his representatives having indicated he would be interested in working at Stamford Bridge.
For now, Hiddink is intent only upon progress into the last four. It is six years and four Chelsea managers since a visiting side at Stamford Bridge scored three goals and won. To progress, Liverpool must match Arsenal’s achievement.
“It was like an alarm clock ringing for this upcoming game at the weekend, and we should have controlled the Bolton game better,” added Hiddink.
“A lot of people have said that, if you win an away game in Europe like we did, then you won’t have any concerns for the second leg. But we’re not thinking like that. A cautious approach is not in either of these teams’ souls.”
