Football
Reuters 15y

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Hiddink prepared to double up with Chelsea

* Chelsea approach Hiddink for short-term role
* Special relationship with Abramovich
* Russian soccer chiefs grant permission
* Combining two jobs

By Gennady Fyodorov

BELEK, Turkey, Feb 10 - Russia coach Guus Hiddink
said he was prepared to manage Chelsea for the rest of the
season after receiving permission to combine the two jobs.

The Premier League club approached the Dutchman widely
regarded as one of the best coaches in the world after sacking
Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari on Monday.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters at the Russian
squad's training camp, Hiddink said he had a special
relationship with Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich
who had been paying his salary as Russia coach.

"This is an exceptional situation. If it was any other club
aside from Chelsea my answer would be a straight 'no'," Hiddink
said.

"Chelsea is different because I have good relations with the
owner. I would like to help them in this situation if I could.

"This would be a full-time, day-to-day managerial job. But
it would only be for the next two or three months, until the end
of the season."

Hiddink said he was aware of the risks of managing a big
club where several high-profile coaches have been axed in the
last few years.

"There's an old saying in football that any coach was hired
to be fired ... that's the risks you take," he said.

"I've already done that (combining two jobs) a couple of
years ago when I was coaching Australia and PSV (Eindhoven) so
I'm familiar with the situation and what it takes."

Hiddink expressed sympathy for Scolari.

"I can't say we are very close friends but I know him well
and we talk on the phone quite often," he said. "He is a very
honest man, a good football coach."

RUSSIAN PERMISSION

The Russian football association gave Chelsea permission to
speak to Hiddink, saying it would not object to him doing both
jobs.
"We don't see it as a problem," general director Alexei
Sorokin told Reuters. "The timetable of the national team allows
Guus to combine the two."

Hiddink had been planning to fly to Moscow with the Russia
players on Wednesday but he may now go back to the Netherlands
before heading to London.

"Abramovich could send his private jet to fly Hiddink to
London," said a source at the Russian FA.

Hiddink said before making any decisions he would discuss
his future with Russian soccer chief Vitaly Mutko, adding that
he was fully committed to helping the team qualify for the 2010
World Cup.

"I will not leave my job with the Russian national team.
It's out of the question," said Hiddink.

"When I took the job it was a long-term project and I don't
like to leave it unfinished. I'll have a meeting with Mr Mutko
in the next few days to discuss the whole thing."

Chelsea thanked the Russian football association for giving
them permission to talk to Hiddink.

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm it has officially
approached the Russian Football Union (RFU) for permission to
speak to Guus Hiddink to become the club's temporary coach until
the end of the season while continuing to be in charge of the
Russian national team," the club said in a statement.

"That permission has been granted and Chelsea would like to
thank the RFU for their co-operation."

Hiddink is bidding to lead a fourth different team to the
World Cup finals after coaching the Netherlands to the
semi-finals in 1998, South Korea to the semi-finals in 2002 and
Australia to the second round in 2006.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez and Ed Osmond)

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