Not since Gianfranco Zola joined Chelsea in November 1996 has one man made such a profound difference as Guus Hiddink. Just like Franco before him, the arrival of Guus saw an immediate improvement in the Club’s performances to the extent that it’s been calculated we’d have won the League with over 100 points if he’d joined in August.
His record says it all – 14 wins, 5 draws and 1 defeat, an extraordinary return equivalent to a 70% success rate. Comparisons? Alex Ferguson’s Man United win rate is 57%, Benitez’s is 56% and Wenger’s is 57% across their respective tenures.
Critics might argue that to compare Hiddink’s 20 games with Fergie’s 1,274 games for United makes statistics irrelevant. Perhaps so, but Hiddink also had a 70% success rate with PSV Eindhoven and a European Cup to boot. Makes you think.
It’s therefore with a heavy heart that Chelsea fans say goodbye to Guus. After January’s despondency which saw Scolari axed as well as a 3-0 defeat to the Mancs and a nasty scare at home to Stoke, the arrival of Guus lifted us all. Starting with a highly impressive away victory at Villa Park, it didn’t take long before the team visibly lifted in confidence and the fans pride became noticeably restored.
Highlights? Arsenal’s heaviest home defeat in 32 years was perhaps pick of the bunch as was our semi final day out at Wembley. Perhaps his greatest feat was to lay bare the myth of Barcelona as some sort of footballing Hercules and to expose their mortality. Only Ovrebo’s outrageous refereeing stopped Guus from lifting his second European cup….
It was therefore fitting that not only did Guus receive a spontaneous standing ovation during the second half against Blackburn, he was also treated to chant after chant imploring him to stay. The player’s guard of honour, once granted to Claudio Ranieri after 4 years service, says it all.
Thanks for everything Guus, we’ll miss you.
His record says it all – 14 wins, 5 draws and 1 defeat, an extraordinary return equivalent to a 70% success rate. Comparisons? Alex Ferguson’s Man United win rate is 57%, Benitez’s is 56% and Wenger’s is 57% across their respective tenures.
Critics might argue that to compare Hiddink’s 20 games with Fergie’s 1,274 games for United makes statistics irrelevant. Perhaps so, but Hiddink also had a 70% success rate with PSV Eindhoven and a European Cup to boot. Makes you think.
It’s therefore with a heavy heart that Chelsea fans say goodbye to Guus. After January’s despondency which saw Scolari axed as well as a 3-0 defeat to the Mancs and a nasty scare at home to Stoke, the arrival of Guus lifted us all. Starting with a highly impressive away victory at Villa Park, it didn’t take long before the team visibly lifted in confidence and the fans pride became noticeably restored.
Highlights? Arsenal’s heaviest home defeat in 32 years was perhaps pick of the bunch as was our semi final day out at Wembley. Perhaps his greatest feat was to lay bare the myth of Barcelona as some sort of footballing Hercules and to expose their mortality. Only Ovrebo’s outrageous refereeing stopped Guus from lifting his second European cup….
It was therefore fitting that not only did Guus receive a spontaneous standing ovation during the second half against Blackburn, he was also treated to chant after chant imploring him to stay. The player’s guard of honour, once granted to Claudio Ranieri after 4 years service, says it all.
Thanks for everything Guus, we’ll miss you.
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