We’re going on a wild Guus Hiddink chase

The news Guus Hiddink has resigned his post as manager of Anzhi Makhachkala is likely to have disappointed club presidents and chairmen across Europe, as the Dutchman suddenly becomes free after the top jobs have gone.

Napoli, Real Madrid, PSG and even Chelsea may well have had a punt of the successful 66-year-old, who has won trophies wherever he’s been. There was even talk in the sports betting news of Hiddink joining Barcelona this week. However, the Catalan giants have maintained their structure of appointing a man to fit into their system, bringing in Gerardo Martino as their replacement for Tito Vilanova.

So what now for Hiddink? The top jobs in Europe are now filled – for the next 12 months at least, by which point half the managers will be unceremoniously sacked – and so it looks as though international football is his next foray.

Let’s face it, Hiddink is no stranger to the international scene after taking South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semis, Australia to the 2006 last-16 and Russia to the last four of Euro 2008. He also oversaw knockout defeats with Holland in Euro ’96 and France ’98, so there is definitely some international pedigree in this experienced old-timer.

With the 2014 World Cup just around the corner, Hiddink is a good pick to join a qualified team with Betting at betfair.com. For some reason, national FAs like to change their managers just before a tournament – just as Sven-Goran Erickson, who found himself manager of Ivory Coast three months before South Africa 2010 – and Hiddink may well go the same way.

Unstable Nigeria, who have had player and coaching problems over recent months, would be a good destination should the team qualify this autumn. Just two wins in five from a relatively easy pool leaves Nigeria top of Group F and should they somehow find a way to Brazil Stephen Keshi may be let go. The same can be said for Croatia, who are lagging behind Belgium in Group A of UEFA qualifying, and maybe even England should Roy Hodgson prove incapable of scraping this team into an automatic spot.

Wherever Hiddink ends up, punters can be almost guaranteed relative success with him in charge. His record speaks for itself and it will convince someone to employ him before Brazil 2014.