It means that his time at the club will end in “ignominious fashion” after 21 years, says the Evening Standard, with the skipper sitting out the final match of a dispiriting campaign against newly-crowned champions Leicester City on the final day, and only joining his team-mates after the final whistle has blown.
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“When I make a judgement on how he plays and his fitness, at his age, then he’s able to play and continue”, the Dutchman said at a news conference ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Liverpool on Wednesday.
Sunderland have moved out of the relegation zone after beating Chelsea 3-2, with the visitors seeing captain John Terry sent off.
“They made a good (managerial) change”.
“Whether it would’ve been the last game that’s not up to me”, said Hiddink, whose second caretaker spell ends after Sunday’s match with Leicester. “But the decision is up to the club and not for me to make declarations on that”. “Of course, he deserves a huge goodbye”.
Chelsea’s interim boss said the skipper has continued to train in a professional manner, despite the disappointment of being sent off against the Mackems.
Incoming manager Antonio Conte is yet to comment on whether he would consider extending Terry’s deal, but the former England skipper has repeatedly stated he would be keen to stay.
He certainly agreed that Chelsea should be in a better position than they are now, adding: “When I think about disasters, I think about bigger things in the world”.
He was banned for the 2012 Champions League final win over Bayern Munich but joined the celebrations in his full kit, a protocol dictated by UEFA.
On the reports Terry has booked Stamford Bridge for a party, Hiddink said: “I hope I will be invited”.
Terry has been training this week, despite not being available for selection.
“He started to lift up his morale and trained okay”.
A melee broke out between the two sets of players close to the tunnel following the final whistle and Hiddink admits that there was too many moments of confrontation throughout the game.
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“We reacted to make it 2-1 but the second half we also had two or three open chances and didn’t take them and they got new energy”.
