http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=roman-abramovich-blocks-guus-hiddink-move%26method=full%26objectid=21876903%26siteid=93463-name_page.html
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH BLOCKS GUUS HIDDINK MOVE
He stops bid to make him City boss
Steve Bates
Guus Hiddink has been blocked by Roman Abramovich from becoming Manchester City's next boss - because the Russian wants him at Chelsea.
Sources claim billionaire Abramovich wants Hiddink, who is manager of Russia, to return to Stamford Bridge and work with Carlo Ancelotti as a technical supremo.
Hiddink, who managed Chelsea and Russia last season, crashed out of the World Cup when Slovenia beat the Russians in the play-offs and now fancies a return to the Premier League.
City would suit him perfectly if the club's Abu Dhabi owners decided to jettison Mark Hughes at the end of the season.
But billionaire Abramovich, who bankrolled the appointment of the Dutchman as Russia boss, does not want him leaving the national side to take charge of one of Chelsea's rivals, especially big-money City, who proved with a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Eastlands yesterday that they could yet emerge as a major title threat.
Abramovich has earmarked Hiddink to become Chelsea's technical overlord, overseeing all the club's football business and leaving Ancelotti to concentrate on managing the first team.
But sources in Holland say Hiddink isn't ready for that kind of end-of-career role just yet and he wants another crack at management at the Premier League coal face.
City would be his first pick -with Manchester United also on his radar if Sir Alex Ferguson were to unexpectedly quit next summer -but Abramovich is against Hiddink going anywhere else in England except Chelsea.
The Dutchman, who worked wonders as manager of South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, would certainly top City's list of potential bosses if the Eastlands hierarchy decided to part company with Hughes, who ended a run of seven successive Premier League draws with yesterday's victory over the title favourites.
Goodwill
So far, City's Abu Dhabi backers have given Hughes their unwavering support and more cash will be made available for January signings.
But if Hughes, who has guided City into the Carling Cup semi-finals, fails to secure a Champions League place in a season where fourth place is up for grabs, he could lose the goodwill of the owners and be vulnerable next summer.
Then, I understand, City would go for a foreign coach from the top strata -like Hiddink, Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho, Frank Rijkaard or even Kop boss Rafa Benitez.
But yesterday's result will shield Hughes from the flak in the short term at least. City have now met all the Big Four clubs in the league this season and their only defeat was in the Manchester derby to a late late winner from Old Trafford striker Michael Owen.
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. I would expect these two games coming up to be a big hit. And looking at tomorrow's game we really need the win badly, it will boost the confident as well ahead of Chelsea's game at the weekend.
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