Goal.com

The 64-year-old Turkey manager feels more suited to international football

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey

Guus Hiddink has distanced himself from a return to Chelsea or any other leading club managerial role – because he thinks he is too old.

The 64-year-old Dutchman was sounded out in December through third parties whether he was interested in being parachuted into the Stamford Bridge hot seat for a second time should Carlo Ancelotti be sacked as manager.

But Hiddink does not believe he has the energy to take on a major club job and do it to the standard that he would want.

The highly decorated coach is contracted to manage Turkey until 2012 with the option of another two years but it is understood that there is a break clause which allows him to leave in October should they not qualify for Euro 2012.

Hiddink is under pressure following three consecutive defeats, including a 1-0 qualifying loss to Azerbaijan that he described as “a complete disaster”, and Turkey’s Euro 2012 fate could be sealed by a March 29 visit to Austria, the team’s direct rivals for second place in a Group A that is comfortably led by Germany.

It is understood that even if Hiddink loses his job, he will not be seeking another rescue act at Chelsea, where he enjoyed a good relationship with owner Roman Abramovich.

“He doesn’t want to go back to club football,” a friend of the Dutchman told Goal.com UK. “I know the impact that Chelsea have on him but if he’s a club manager he wants to be on the pitch every day six days a week.

“He thinks that at his age being on the pitch six days a week for two to three seasons is not possible. If he goes to a club he wants to build something and doesn’t want to go for one year. He wants to go for two to three seasons. At his age, that is the main reason why he doesn’t want a club job.”

In 2009, Hiddink came in as a short-term measure following the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari, and juggled his job as coach of Russia with a three-month spell in charge of Chelsea. During his brief reign, the Londoners finished third in the Premier League, won the FA Cup and were controversially defeated by eventual winners Barcelona in the Champions League at the semi-final stage.

It is believed the former South Korea, Netherlands and Australia boss would favour another international post or a senior executive role at one of Europe’s elite clubs.

The news will be a blow for Tottenham, who have the Dutchman on a shortlist of names to replace Harry Redknapp if he takes over the England team when Fabio Capello steps down next year. Manchester City and Liverpool have also sounded Hiddink out over the last 18 months about a return to the Premier League.