Terry: I'd love to see 'good guy' Hiddink back in charge of Chelsea

(EPA)

John Terry said yesterday that he would welcome the appointment of Guus Hiddink as the next Chelsea manager, with all the evidence now pointing to the Dutch coach being given the job in the next few weeks.

Hiddink's Turkey side played Belgium last night in a Euro 2012 qualifier with the expectation that he will walk away in the next few days to go back to the club he managed three seasons ago.

Terry, who claimed he had not been consulted by the club on the decision, said: "I would [like to see Hiddink return]. He's obviously a very good guy. I've been in contact with him since he left as well. I know he's been involved with the club anyway, but I kept in contact on a personal level. That speaks volumes for him.

"He brought a lot of stability. He was a no-nonsense manager. Even with the senior players, completely. With him, when players turned up five minutes late for meetings they were left out of the side, having been in the side previously. No matter who it was. That was Guus, his type of character.

"He was very easy to understand and approachable as well but, at the same time, he had that about him too where no one messed about with him. He was in there for a short space of time, so sometimes it can be easier, but at the same time he loves the day-to-day stuff."

There is still doubt over whether Hiddink would work with Michael Emenalo, the No 2 to Carlo Ancelotti before he was sacked, or whether a coach would be brought in to do the job day-to-day with the 64-year-old Hiddink in a more senior role.

"Guus did like to do his own training and stuff like that," Terry said. "He was very hands-on and liked to do everything. He's very capable of handling it himself. I've seen that first hand. But maybe he would like to have someone with him, but also we've got Clem [Paul Clement] there as well who's been good. And the lads know him as well."

Mark Hughes, who quit Fulham on Thursday, is still an outside bet for the Chelsea job if there is a hitch with Hiddink. On Hughes, Terry said: "[He is] someone the club will hopefully be talking to. I know Mark and his background staff. The understanding of the club and what it means to the supporters will come naturally to those guys. If he is linked in, it will be welcome to the players."