By David Lee Wheatley
Master tactician Guus Hiddink is to become head coach of the Netherlands
national team following the completion of this summer’s World Cup finals, it was
confirmed today. The former Chelsea boss has signed a two-year pre-contract
agreement with the KNVB to take over the reins from current incumbent Louis van
Gaal, once he relinquishes control in order to make a return to club
management.
Hiddink
managed the side between 1995 and 1998 having also led the senior international
teams of South Korea, Australia, Russia and Turkey in a hugely successful globe-trotting
coaching career thus far. Now 67, it appears the final challenge of an ongoing 32-year
journey since first taking his place in the dug-out as De Graafschap assistant
coach.
Having made
clear his intention to aim for a top Premier League job, the Dutch FA were well
aware of van Gaal’s decision to move on ahead of time and they’ve been busy putting
plans in place to adequately replace him with an equally revered elder
statesman. Hiddink will lead the Dutch to Euro 2016 in the hope of claiming
silverware before handing his duties over to Ajax legend Danny Blind, who will assist
him for the next two years alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Several big
clubs have been linked to former Ajax, Bayern and Barcelona boss van Gaal,
while he's been openly angling for a lucrative switch to the English Premier League.
Heavyweights such as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are said to be
monitoring the situation closely and it seems Spurs would be his most likely
destination at this stage.
Meanwhile, Hiddink
will be desperate to avoid a repeat of the in-fighting and public spats which
characterised his last spell at the Oranje helm after he inherited a set of fractious
individuals severely lacking in team spirit. Edgar Davids was sensationally
sent home from Euro ’96 when Hiddink decided to get tough in taking the Dutch
to the quarter-finals. His initially troublesome period as manager gave way to
a more relaxed atmosphere at the World Cup two years later and Holland made the
semi-finals prior to an unlucky penalty shoot-out loss to Brazil.
If he can
foster a similar environment within the national side from 2014 onwards to that which
he left behind in 1998, then it would be eminently conceivable for the
Netherlands to be crowned Champions of Europe for the first time since Euro
’88.
Twitter: @davewh1980
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