Premier League week 17: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
Guus Hiddink is the new manager for Chelsea replacing Mourinho but was not yet on the bench for the first game after Mourinho left the club. Assistant coach Steve Holland commented on the win:
‘It was a very important three points for the club today. Our league position is very poor. Had we lost we would have gone in to the bottom three so it’s a very important three points.We are going day by day and game by game. We are in a poor position in the league. That’s been improved slightly today. The priority has to be to rescue what we can of our season in the Premier League. How high we can go, I don’t know.
‘You saw some signs today in the first half of what the players are capable of. We still have the FA Cup and the Champions League, two competitions we can compete for, and we have to try and do the best thing possible in the Premier League. The focus is very clear.’
Jose and his coaching staff have all been fantastic to me, Jose particularly. On a day like Thursday it’s particularly sad. Jose has invited me out for a meal next week. Our relationship is excellent. He would recognise I gave him everything and I would recognise that not only is he an exceptional coach but he’s an exceptional person. It was a privilege and a pleasure to work with him.
I am sure [the details of my role under him] will evolve over the next few days. It’s an honour to work for a club like Chelsea. It’s a huge club all round the world. This is my seventh season here. I am a club appointment which means at these times particularly it can be difficult. You get connected with guys that come in.
‘Guus has not spoken to the players collectively but he has spoken individually to some who were still around at the point he arrived [in the dressing room after the match].’
