Guus Hiddink has set his sights on giving Chelsea the perfect farewell as the Blues interim manager sets out on the road to Wembley in the FA Cup.
Hiddink confirmed this week that he will step down from his second spell as Chelsea caretaker once the current campaign comes to an end, but he is determined not to leave Stamford Bridge empty-handed.
With Chelsea’s chances of success in the Premier League long since ruined by their miserable first half of the season, Hiddink, who took charge after Jose Mourinho was sacked in December, has circled the dates of the FA Cup and Champions League finals in his diary.
Hiddink memorably ended his first spell as Chelsea’s interim boss by winning the 2009 FA Cup final against Everton and then flouting Wembley regulations by smoking a victorious cigar as the post-match celebrations began in the dressing room.
Ahead of third tier Scunthorpe’s visit to the Bridge for Sunday’s third round tie, the Dutchman admitted he would relish a similar scenario in May.
“Fourth place in the Premier League is difficult. Then there are two targets left and one is the FA Cup,” Hiddink said.
“It’s a big target for this group of players to get it.
“I’ve put two dates in my mind which is May 21 and 28 and then it’s finished. Then I can go home on the 29.
“Those dates are the FA Cup final and Champions League final.”
On paper, Scunthorpe, currently 15th in League One, should pose little threat to Hiddink’s dreams of Wembley glory.
But it was only last year that Chelsea suffered a humiliating FA Cup fourth round exit against third tier Bradford at the Bridge.
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