Glenn Hoddle would love to have a second spell as Chelsea manager following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas but the former England boss expects the job to go to another overseas coach.
Hoddle, 54, was the last Englishman to take charge of the Stamford Bridge side during a three-year spell in the 1990s before leaving to take up the England national team post.
“I think they will probably keep with the policy of staying foreign, I really do,” Hoddle said on Tuesday at the launch of the Elite Legends Cup at Loftus Road.
“I was the last English manager to be there and that was a long, long time ago – over 15 years ago,” the former Tottenham and England midfielder added.
“That is staggering and I think they will probably go foreign, but it is strange because I loved working for the club.
“It was different then to what it is now and I only left because England came calling.
“If they were prepared to look for an English manager, I would love to go back there. I really must say that.
“I did a good job when I was there and a lot of Chelsea fans actually say when I meet them ‘thanks for what you did because we started something there’.
“Chelsea hadn’t done much for 27 years and they could start to see the progression that was coming very quickly. It has obviously been taken on since Ken Bates was chairman and (former vice-chairman) Matthew Harding died.
“It has been taken on with new owners and the rest is history, but I think they will go foreign.”
The appointment of Roberto di Matteo as interim first-team coach for the remainder of the season following Villas-Boas’s exit the day after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at West Brom means Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is now on his eighth manager since buying Chelsea in 2003.
Hoddle was surprised by the timing of Villas-Boas’s exit and said former Blues and Italy midfielder di Matteo was now well-placed to take over on a long-term basis.
“I am a little bit surprised to see him go,” said Hoddle. “I felt the key for AVB was going to be the Napoli game, but obviously the result at the weekend was probably just a bit too much for the club and they have changed.
“I wish Robbie Di Matteo all the best and he is in pole position really.
“If he does well between now and the end of the season, he could find himself getting that job full-time. I know Robbie well, good luck to him, it is a difficult task but I would still say they have got a good squad there.
“They have good players and a good back and whoever takes that job over has got an opportunity there without any shadow of a doubt.”