No job share for Turkey coach Guus Hiddink

ISTANBUL - Guus Hiddink has vowed to focus fully on his new role as Turkey’s coach, ruling out a job share similar to the one he experienced with Russia and Chelsea last year. “I’m fully committed to Turkish football and to the Turkish Federation,” the Dutchman told a news conference on Monday.

“To answer your question whether I could do another job with another club together with the federation, there is no way to do so.”

Hiddink spent a short spell in charge of Chelsea in 2009, but always stressed that his involvement with the English Premier League club would be brief because of his full-time commitment to the Russian Federation. Russia failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup under Hiddink, and his last game in charge was a 1-1 friendly draw in Hungary earlier this month.

The Dutchman said Turkey’s future was bright even though it failed to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa, which starts in June.

“I think the future of Turkish football will be very healthy,” said Hiddink, adding that his first task is to qualify for Euro 2012. Turkish Football Federation chairman Mahmut Ozgener said Hiddink was the right man for the job.

“We will work for stable success in the new period, hand in hand with the new [coach]. Our confidence in him is endless,” said Ozgener. “Our restructuring process is complete. The people who we believe can best realize this new model are now in place.”

Turkey’s performance has varied in recent years. The team reached the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008, but has failed to reach the Cup since ’02.

Reuters