Guus Hiddink has been appointed Chelsea manager until the end of the season, the Premier league champions announced on Saturday.
The experienced Dutch coach, 69, succeeds Jose Mourinho, who was sacked, and returns to a role he previously performed in 2009, when he led Chelsea to glory in the FA Cup.
“I am excited to return to Stamford Bridge,” Hiddink said in a statement on the Chelsea website. “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world, but is not where it should be at the moment. However, I am sure we can all turn this season around.
“I am looking forward to working with the players and staff at this great club and especially renewing my wonderful relationship with the Chelsea fans.”
Chelsea said Hiddink would attend their game against Sunderland on Saturday, but that first-team coach Steve Holland would take charge of the team.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich previously turned to Hiddink in February 2009 after sacking luiz Felipe Scolari.
Hiddink steered the club to a third-place finish in the league, the Champions league semi-finals and an FA Cup final win over Everton. “The owner and board welcome back a coach with a wealth of top-level experience and success, including his previous spell with club in 2009 when we lifted FA Cup,” Chelsea said in a statement.
Mourinho not planning a break
Jose Mourinho is not planning to take a break from management after his departure from Chelsea, a statement by the agency which represents the Portuguese coach said on Saturday.
“Jose Mourinho is pleased that he returned to Chelsea football club because he was able to give the fans another Premier league title,” the statement said. “During his career, Jose has sometimes chosen to leave a club, but only at Chelsea has the club decided that he should leave.
“He will not be taking a sabbatical, he isn’t tired, he doesn’t need it, he is very positive, and is already looking forward. Jose hopes that his future after Chelsea this time will be as successful as when he left the club in 2007.”