Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel says 99% of the club’s players want Guus Hiddink to become their permanent manager.
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“From day one, since Guus has come in, the atmosphere has changed”, said Mikel. He gets on with his own and players feel very comfortable, they know what to do.
“Guus has given responsibility to people and expects them to thrive on it and make sure they do it in way that they feel comfortable”. Normally a player has the tendency to stick with his talents but what I know – not just here but in other work I’ve done with him – is he is open to work on other things.
“He does whatever you want him to do. They will have to decide”, he said.
“But if you speak to the players, 98 or 99 per cent of them want him to stay”.
Per Cunningham, the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge during the final weeks of Mourinho’s tenure was anything but pleasant, as the Special One routinely berated his players.
Mikel also explained why striker Diego Costa’s form has improved since Hiddink took over.
Thank you for all that voted and we say congratulations to John Obi Mikel.
The 29-year-old struggled under Mourinho, who preferred the partnership of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic in central midfield, but has become a regular under their interim boss.
A lot of managers have been linked with the Chelsea position when Hiddink leaves at the end of the season but Mikel wants the Dutchman t continue.
“It depends on the board and Guus, if he wants to continue”. He also hasn’t been afraid to speak his mind regarding his managers, when he said that the reason Mourinho failed this season was because he “lacked communication skills. He doesn’t stand up that much to speak, but we know exactly what he wants”.
“When he gets upset, he tries to clear the air straight away”.
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“This club is bigger than anyone and he puts the record straight right away”. He doesn’t hold grudges. His record speaks for itself. “It is finished – and we move on”. “Although we have a hard time when there’s a loss, I love to go to Cobham, to the training field, so I feel fresh”, Hiddink was quoted as saying by The Sunday Times on Saturday.
