Salomon Kalou has told how Guus Hiddink's arrival at Chelsea helped to rejuvenate the club.
The Dutchman took the reins at Stamford Bridge in February, following the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Since then he has breathed new life into the Blues, helping to resurrect a season which was in danger of fizzling out.
He has helped to bring a steely determination to the Stamford Bridge ranks, with Kalou of the belief that Hiddink is one of the finest tactical brains in football management.
"We have completely changed. There is more discipline and he has brought the team together," Kalou told skysports.com.
"Everyone gives him respect and he has helped to lift the spirits. We all know what it means to play for Chelsea and we needed more discipline and team spirit. That is what he has brought.
"He is also very good tactically and he has brought a lot of positives to the team. We are now getting good results but we have to keep working hard to end the season in style."
Hiddink has also helped to bring the best out of players such as Didier Drogba, with the Ivory Coast international in sparkling form over recent weeks.
Kalou claims there is no secret behind the Dutchman's success, insisting he has merely helped to reinstall confidence in those who were fading under Scolari's tutelage.
"I think the difference with certain players is down to confidence. Didier was struggling a bit before, but now he is full of confidence," he added.
"He is playing more, he has more opportunities to shoot than he did have before. The confidence is back, thanks to the manager, and he can now deliver good performances on the pitch."
Kalou also revealed that he hopes to one day step into Drogba's boots at the forefront of Chelsea's attacking unit.
The 23-year-old has often been deployed in a wide role since arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2006, but admits it is his ambition to become a fearsome central striker.
"That is my best position, that was where I was playing before in Holland at Feyenoord, and that is where I proved myself," he said.
"But at a big club like Chelsea, who have a lot of top strikers, you have to wait for your moment. At the moment Didier is our top striker and I have to wait for my time. I would love to get back to my best position in the future."
0 comments:
Post a Comment