
Guus
Hiddink is convinced Chelsea captain John Terry has all the makings of a
future manager at Stamford Bridge.
Ahead of the Blues' Premier League clash with bottom club Aston Villa on
Saturday, interim boss Hiddink says Terry has the leadership skills and
tactical knowhow to take charge one day.
"In some players, not just here but in other clubs as well, you see while
they are playing that they might be managers inside already," said Hiddink.
"Most of the time in the midfield positions or at centre-back these guys are
already leaders in the team. I like it always as a manager, players who you
can make your plan with to execute things on the pitch.
"In my own younger career, I also had other examples of that - players who
are now good managers. I had in my first spell with PSV Eindhoven, Ronald
Koeman. You could see he was already a very tactically strong leader, of
course.
"Quique Sanchez Flores, I had in Valencia. These players think how a team
can play and they have their ideas as well."
While the Dutchman believes Terry has what it takes to follow in their
footsteps, he insists the 35-year old defender should gain experience as
part of another manager's backroom staff first.
"Terry won't be ready in one or two years, but of course, if they get
experience, most of the time it's good to go and be the first or second
assistant, and have the experience from the other side.
"Many players think they can do it overnight, but I doubt that. I think the
best thing is to get the practice and experience not to be one of the squad,
but go on the other side and have the experience with the manager, how to
deal with training, man management and a lot of other things you have to
deal with.
"Sometimes we managers think we can manipulate every second of the game,
which I do not think is true. But then you need, in my opinion, the
tactical, strategic and very strong players who become managers. He can be
one of them."
Terry, who has spent 18 years with Chelsea, announced in February that he
will leave the club at the end of the season, after failing to agree a new
deal.
There had been discussions about the former England captain coming out of
international retirement to play at Euro 2016, a suggestion national team
boss Roy Hodgson refuted.
And like Hodgson, Hiddink believes Terry's international future has already
been decided.
"Whether they (Terry and Hodgson) had a conversation, yes or no, I think it
has been a little bit overvalued but it was no issue for either of them," he
added.
"John is doing his job for Chelsea and decided already - one, two or three
years ago - not to be available any more for England, whatever the reason
might be."