Chelsea faithful plead with Guus Hiddink to stay

Chelsea 2 Blackburn 0. Guus Hiddink, the miracle worker who took over the wreckage of Chelsea's season after the failure of Luiz Felipe Scolari and took them to the FA Cup Final and the brink of Champions League glory, was lauded by the Stamford Bridge faithful yesterday during his last home game in charge.

His team completed a simple victory over a Blackburn side that will have to buy big over summer if it is to avoid another year of flirting with relegation, and Nicolas Anelka was the man of the match, making one goal for Florent Malouda and scoring the other. Anelka later paid tribute to Hiddink, saying: "We feel the same as the fans do about him. Since he came here, we've played so much better." But the day belonged to their Dutch manager, who was serenaded from start to finish by the Chelsea crowd.

Not many people have the strength, financial or mental, to say no to Roman Abramovich, but Hiddink has kept his vow to make the Chelsea posting an interim one, with the plan to return his post as Russia's national team manager now just two games away from coming to fruition. However the warmth of the Chelsea fans could yet sway him: "I have many second thoughts, sometimes third thoughts," he said. "You cannot avoid them. When I have to leave I will feel a kind of sadness."

All eyes now turn to the succession. Carlo Ancelotti of AC Milan remains the prime target for Abramovich. The Italian is embroiled in a curious relationship with his owner (and PM) Silvio Berlusconi, who criticised him last weekend then spent all week rowing back from his claims. It may just have been the emotion of the day, but the Stamford Bridge crowd didn't seem to view this prospect as being very appealing, chanting: "You can stick your Ancelotti up your arse" during yesterday's clash.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYINGDominic Fifield, the Guardian: "The fans' discontent cannot have escaped Abramovich, watching from his executive box on high. Chelsea continue their pursuit of a permanent successor to Hiddink still hopeful that Carlo Ancelotti, long since their first choice to take up the reins on a permanent basis, will agree to sever ties with San Siro at the end of the month. Their resolve will not be deflected by the dissonant voices which punctured the praise showered upon the part-time incumbent, yet theirs was an uncomfortable show of dissent. Hiddink has been made welcome here by the fans more than any manager since Jose ­Mourinho. The frustration grows that this club will not be able to retain his services next term."

Kaveh Solhekol, the Times: "Hiddink was greeted with banners begging him to stay when he arrived at the ground yesterday and most of the second half was played with chants of 'Guus Hiddink, we want you to stay' ringing in the air. Hiddink tried to get the crowd to focus on the game by performing a little bow in the 51st minute but that failed to do the trick and within seconds Chelsea supporters had turned their attention to Roman Abramovich, serenading the club’s owner with 'Roman, Roman, sign him up'." ·