Chelsea have decided to gamble on Andre Villas-Boas as their new manager after failing to agree on a structure to accommodate Guus Hiddink alongside a top young coach. he's the same age as Blues duo Lampard and Drogba!
Hiddink indicated that he will remain with Turkey, leaving Chelsea to discuss the terms of a £13.2million release clause that will enable them to prise Villas-Boas away from Porto.
Reports in Portugal claimed last night that a deal had been agreed, but Chelsea stuck by a statement confirming only that they hoped to name their new manager in the ‘next few days’.
Even by Roman Abramovich’s standards, it would amount to a shock appointment. Villas-Boas guided Porto to a stunning European and domestic treble this season but he arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2004 as a junior member of Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff, having never played professionally.
Andre Villas Boas, at just 33 years of age is set to take over at Stamford Bridge
Initially Abramovich went for Hiddink, the 64-year-old who had hinted strongly that he was ready to quit Turkey’s national team for the daily involvement of a club job and appeared certain to return for a second stint as manager at Chelsea.
But a problem arose when Hiddink made it clear that he wanted a top coach working alongside him
to shoulder the burden. When attempts to lure the likes of Marco van Basten and Steve Clarke proved unsuccessful, they turned to Villas-Boas and it soon became clear he would consider only the job of manager.
Abramovich is aware of the risk that would be involved but has decided to back the younger man in the belief that he become another Joses Mourinho. At the same time he had concerns Hiddink, because of his age, would prove to be another relatively short-term appointment.
There could yet be a vacancy for Hiddink as director of football, but he has maintained he is interested only in managing.
He is believed to have held positive talks with the new Turkish FA president and say he intends to honour his contract with Turkey.
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