New Chelsea boss Hiddink meets his stars

New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink met his players for the first time on Thursday at the club’s Cobham training headquarters.

Hiddink has replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was sacked on Monday, and although he doesn’t officially take charge until next week the Dutchman flew into England ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round tie at Watford to get to know the squad.

He was greeted at Cobham by chief executive Peter Kenyon, who gave the former Australia and South Korea coach a tour of the main building and met some of the players in the treatment room.

Hiddink, who will remain as Russia coach as well as working for Chelsea until the end of the season, was introduced to staff before continuing to the first-team dressing room where he met the remaining first team players.

Those who had played major roles on international duty undertook their recovery session in the state-of-the-art swimming pool, while Hiddink accompanied chairman Bruce Buck out on to the training field to watch the main session, led by Ray Wilkins.

They were later joined by club owner Roman Abramovich and director Eugene Tenenbaum.

Assistant coach Wilkins, who will lead the team against Watford, chatted with the new coach who will start work with the squad on the training ground from Monday.