Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink isn't surprised seeing Ronald Koeman succeed with Southampton.

He was a player under Hiddink at PSV Eindhoven when the Dutch club won the European Cup and many domestic titles.

"You noticed at that young age he had the possibility to go in management," recalled Hiddink.

"It's easy to say now but I didn't have any doubt. At that time, in '86, we tried to establish a team of players and personalities. I am always of the opinion that once the game has started, a manager has limited power. Of course he can make changes during the game, but the spine in the team can control the execution of your pre-match plan.

"He was one of those guys. He was one of the leaders. You could talk with him about what had to be executed on the pitch. He has been around, in Holland, in the south of Europe, and for some years he has showed he is a very good and stable manager."