ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has begun the process of finding a successor to Avram Grant, who he sacked on Saturday, by drawing up a shortlist of candidates in which Guus Hiddink has emerged as the favourite and Sven-Goran Eriksson also figures prominently.
The Chelsea owner continues to yearn for a team that plays beautiful football and can be loved by neutrals around the world and, having opened discussions with trusted advisers which will continue over the coming days, he has pieced together the Identikit appointment.
Together with fundamental qualities such as the possession of a proven track record at the highest level and ability as an on-field tactician, Abramovich will also demand that the new manager be capable of running a dignified and disciplined regime.
Chelsea boast one of the most talented squads in European football but with that come strong personalities who, with a nod towards the club's image, Abramovich is keen to man-manage.
One of Grant's biggest failings was his inability to impose himself on the dressingroom - key players never had sufficient respect for him - and it will be imperative for the new man to succeed where he failed. How he achieves this end will not matter, whether he shouts and screams or adopts a more cerebral approach in the manner of Arsenal's Arsene Wenger.
The club have learned valuable lessons from the shortcomings of not only Grant but also of his predecessor Jose Mourinho, who, contrary to popular belief, was not actually as strong as he could have been with the players.
Mourinho's reign truly began to unravel when he suspected that Abramovich wanted to exert an unhealthy influence over the team.
Youth will be no barrier to the appointment, as evidenced by the presence of Roberto Mancini, Frank Rijkaard and Mark Hughes on the short-list but experienced candidates may hold a decisive edge.
Hiddink ticks all the boxes. He will lead Russia at the European Championship in Switzerland and Austria, the latest achievement in a glittering career that includes World Cup semi-finals finishes with the Netherlands and South Korea. Abramovich bankrolls the Russian team and even funds Hiddink's salary but the Dutchman has yet to renew his contract beyond next month's finals. He has only a verbal agreement to take charge for the 2010 World Cup campaign.
It is well documented that Hiddink and Frank Arnesen, now the chief scout and director of youth development at Chelsea, did not get on during their time together at PSV Eindhoven. However, that would not be a barrier to Hiddink moving to Stamford Bridge.
Eriksson's situation is intriguing and Chelsea would take the opportunity to talk to him once his unsavoury dismissal from Manchester City is finalised.
Eriksson was courted by Chelsea during his time as the England manager - he was infamously caught out visiting Abramovich at his London residence - and there continues to be admiration for him at the west London club. His close friend Pini Zahavi, the agent who also represents Grant, has the Chelsea connections to install him.
One man who can be ruled out of the running is Mourinho, who is poised to replace Mancini at Internazionale.
Meanwhile, Manchester United chief executive David Gill has played down manager Alex Ferguson's claim that he will step down before he turns 70 at the end of 2011.
Ferguson (66) said: "I won't be managing here any more than three years at the very most. Without question, I can assure you of that." But Gill told BBC Radio 5's Sportsweek: "He has not said that to me. "His health and his desire will be the criteria when he makes that decision and we will look at it then."
Gill admits United have to prepare for when Ferguson does leave and said his assistant Carlos Queiroz is in a strong position to replace him. "We also have an assistant manager who would be very much in the frame in Carlos but, like any business, we follow what is happening in football on the playing and management side."
