"Guus Hiddink for President" read a banner over 8 years ago when the Dutchman steered the South Korean Soccer team to a level they had not reached before in Soccer World Cup. Just yesterday, 30 May 2009, he helped Chelsea FC win the English FA Cup. I guess the Stamford Bridge fans would have loved to have him there for many more years but he has to go back to complete the business of preparing the Russian team for the 2010 World Cup. The players did express their wishes though but I am told the Dutchman loves to keep his word and the word so far is that he had come to fill in a void only up to the end of the season. He got a good send-off (see ESPN photo gallery). It would have been better if a one Ovrebo had not officiated in the Chelsea-Barca UEFA semi-final game at the Bridge - Guus would most likely be having two big trophies to his name by now: the English FA Cup and the UEFA Champion's League trophies.
My closest and best friend and I have this thing for the Dutch players, Dutch team and Dutch coaches so Guus Hiddink was not new to us when he showed up in the English Premiership. Just like the South Korean fans, we also thought he deserved a huge reward but maybe not with the Presidency of South Korea. We even followed him closely when he took the Australian Soccer team to World Cup 2006. You can already know that I will watch most, if not all, Russia's games in the 2010 World Cup just for one guy, Hiddink.
I am not yet an official soccer coach or tactician but I love Guus Hiddink's tactics - he knows how to identify and neutralise the opponents' point of strength (biggest weapon) while he unleashes his in the right amounts and at the right time. I believe that at least Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger can testify to this fact. One football commentator once observed (during the 2006 World Cup games) that most coaches find it very tough to play against a Hiddink-coached side. I thought he read my mind.
Well, he did not get the Presidency to South Korea and of course will not get the Presidency of Russia even if the fans express their wish (as the South Korean ones did) but let credit be given where it is due. Mr. Guss Hiddink deserves accolades.
2 comments:
I guess you know by now that Hiddink's Russia did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup having been beaten by Slovenia! Sad!!
It should not surprise you therefore that it took me this long to write this comment - I was and still is in pain. One rumour lifted my spirits yesterday. A local football commentator on one of my favourite Radio Programmes on 87.9FM here in Kampala Uganda alleged that it is rumoured that Hiddink could end up as Argentina's coach in 2010 World Cup. I pray for that.
Rumours, rumours, rumours. It is also speculated that Guus could soon be installed as Chelsea FC's Technical Director.
Well, my prayer is that some country that has qualified for World Cup sacks its current coach and hires Mr. Guus Hiddink sooner than later so that we do not miss him in the World Cup.
Mr. President, I will join you in the coaching business. Do you know that the word soccer is prohibited in European football? It is football that is accepted. Soccer is American
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