Twenty Hidden Facts About Hiddink

As Guus Hiddink is preparing himself to step into the dug-out at Stamford Bridge, we're giving you 20 facts about the tactical genius whose life has turned out as interesting as his playing career... 

1) Guus Hiddink is referred to as 'super coach' in Australia.

2) As Edgar Davids completed his move to Tottenham in 2005, Guus Hiddink commented that: "He has more passion in his right toe than other internationals have in both legs."

3) Guus Hiddink won the treble with PSV Eindhoven in 1987.

4) He spent 18 months in the United States playing for Washington Diplomats and San Jose Earthquakes.

5) He has a long-term girlfriend called Elizabeth.

6) Hiddink became the first ever foreigner to receive honorary South Korean citizenship after he took them to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2002.

7) Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park (creep) thanks Guus Hiddink: "Within a minute, what coach Hiddink said to me changed my life forever. I feel a bit shy thinking about what he would think after reading this, but he is my 'master' and I owe him everything and I won't be able to repay it in my life."

8) Dutch authorities in his hometown demolished the Guuseum (a museum dedicated to the man himself). The decision was made after attendance numbers to the museum dropped dramatically.

9) The World Cup stadium in Gwangju was renamed the Guus Hiddink Stadium in his honour after the World Cup.

10) He also has a stadium named after him In Pohang called 'The Hiddink Dream Field', which was built partly with the proceeds of a pizza commercial.

11) Hiddink was set to become the next Celtic manager after the disastrous spell by John Barnes but the PLC board insisted on Martin O' Neill.

12) In 2007 Guus Hiddink was handed a six-month suspended sentence and fined £30,000 after being found guilty of tax fraud.

13) Guus Hiddink said after his South Korea side beat Italy in the 2002 World Cup and the Italians resulted in smashing up their dressing room: "I am very much against violence in football, but listening to the Italians smashing up their dressing rooms, I very much enjoyed that."

14) The Russian media call him 'The Wizard'.

15) The Korean national airline gave Hiddink free first-class travel for four years.

16) Hiddink has started his own charity called the Guus Hiddink Foundation, which is to help deprived kids in South Korea.

17) He was sacked by both Real Madrid and Real Betis.

18) He won the Dutch championship with PSV four times in a row from 1996.

19) As a child Hiddink wanted to be a farmer!

20) He reportedly turned down the job as England manager because they asked him for an interview - his agent described it as "an insult to Guus and his achievements".