Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink hints he is open to Stamford Bridge return if Jose Mourinho sacked

Former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has indicated he would be open to returning to Stamford Bridge in the event of Jose Mourinho losing his job. Hiddink was appointed Blues manager in February 2009 until the end of the 2008-09 season following the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari, losing just once during his spell in charge in west London and guiding the club to FA Cup success.

The Dutchman was a hugely popular character by the time he left the club and according to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are ready to offer him another short-term role in a bid to rescue their miserable season.

Hiddink, who is without a coaching role after being sacked as Netherlands boss in June, told Voetbal International: "Top class football will always be attractive. Lately there have been offers coming my way, but there hasn't been anything I wanted to take straight away. We will see. We will have to wait."

Mourinho, who was given a vote of confidence by the Chelsea board at the beginning of October, was sent to the stands as his side lost their fifth game of their Premier League season – and their seventh in all competitions – on Saturday 24 October to West Ham United. The Blues boss was charged with misconduct by the Football Association after reportedly attempting to get into referee Jonathan Moss's dressing room during the half-time break. The Portuguese boss felt a number of controversial decisions had gone against his side in the first-half of the game, including the two yellow cards – and subsequent sending-off –picked up by Nemanja Matic and a disallowed goal for Cesc Fabregas.

That defeat at Upton Park left the defending Premier League champions stranded in 15<sup>th place, closer to the foot of the table than to fourth-placed Manchester United. They welcome Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to Stamford Bridge in what is being billed as a do-or-die fixture to determine Mourinho's fate in their next Premier League encounter on 31 October.