• New Blues boss believes title is still within
reach
• Terry claims the
club has underachieved for a year
New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink watches over his first training
session with owner Roman Abramovich.
Guus Hiddink assumed the reins at Chelsea last night and
swiftly delivered a warning to the other title contenders
that he has not given up hope of winning the Premier
League this season, with the club's new part-time manager
intent upon securing a first domestic championship
in one of the perceived major European leagues.
The Dutchman flew to London yesterday and arrived at the club's
Cobham training complex at about 1pm to be welcomed by the chief
executive, Peter Kenyon. Roman Abramovich, whose ruthless dismissal
of Luiz Felipe Scolari after barely seven months in the job on
Monday is still sending shockwaves through the Chelsea squad, was
also in attendance and, after Hiddink had delivered a short speech
to his players, the owner joined his fourth manager in 17
months to watch training.
"They are in several races: the FA Cup is there, the Champions
League and also the league," Hiddink told Chelsea TV last night.
"There is a 10-point difference [if United win] but if you look in
the past at this league, and other leagues as well, some things can
happen during the final stages of the championship.
The players know we haven't been playing well as a team. The
performances and results have shown that. We have under-achieved
for a year or so now. We owe it to ourselves, the club and the
management to put in some good performances.
Hiddink believes he can have the required impact. "I hope to get
out a little bit more from the players than sometimes they think
they can bring," he said.