SOCCER:Chelsea have declared they will defend themselves "strongly" against two English Football Association charges relating to the conduct of their players and assistant coach Steve Clarke in the wake of the 2-0 Premier League defeat at Manchester United last Sunday.
The club are accused of failing to control their players - for the fourth time in 18 months - while Clarke has been charged with using foul and/or insulting behaviour to officials after the game.
The first flashpoint followed referee Mike Dean's decision to send off midfielder John Obi Mikel for his two-footed tackle on United's Patrice Evra. At least four Chelsea players crowded around Dean, including the captain, John Terry, and the referee felt sufficiently intimidated and concerned to include the incident in his match report.
Terry attempted to snatch the red card from Dean's hand but because the referee saw the incident and elected not to pass censure there and then, the FA had no recourse to retrospective action against the defender.
Chelsea's new manager, Avram Grant, complained that three key decisions went against his team - the sending-off, the fact United's opening goal came after two and a half minutes of first-half stoppage time and the late penalty for the second goal. Clarke voiced the perceived injustices with more venom when he met the officials in the tunnel.
"Chelsea Football Club will be strongly defending the two charges issued by the Football Association and will be considering that defence until we have to respond on October 12th," said a club statement.
In April 2006, Chelsea were fined €14,300 for failing to control their players after they surrounded referee Mark Halsey against West Brom.
A month later they were given a further €14,300 fine and warned as to their future conduct by an FA disciplinary commission after being found guilty of the same charge during the 1-0 league defeat at Fulham. And last season, they received a €143,000 fine and a reprimand for their part in the brawl with Arsenal players during the League Cup final.
Guus Hiddink has, meanwhile, claimed Roman Abramovich has asked him to take over as Chelsea coach. Just a day after the club were forced to issue a statement insisting no one had been offered the job to replace Jose Mourinho, Russia coach Hiddink revealed Chelsea owner Abramovich asked him if he wanted to return to club management.
Marco van Basten and Jurgen Klinsmann have been linked with Grant's job, but Hiddink said: "Abramovich asked me 'What do you want?'. I told him that right now I want to do nothing else except concentrate on Russia. I want to see this through now and then see what happens."
Hiddink could be available in November when Russia's Euro 2008 campaign ends, but with the side looking good for qualification, Abramovich, who pays half Hiddink's €1.7 million-a-year wages, may have to wait until after next summer's finals before making his move.
Even then, Abramovich could face a fight to convince Hiddink his future lies at Stamford Bridge.
The 60-year-old continued: "We like living in Moscow and they seem to like us. We have started a project here with this team and they want us to stay for another two years after the European Championships."
Meanwhile, Didier Drogba would consider a reunion with Jose Mourinho when the former Chelsea manager resurfaces at his next club, but the striker's immediate focus is on staying at Stamford Bridge.
The Ivory Coast international, who has recently been out with a knee injury, was angry and disappointed when Mourinho left the club last week. Drogba was not the only player to have felt let down. Other senior squad members, most notably Frank Lampard, the England midfielder, credit Mourinho with making them the players they are.
Yet the disappointment has been replaced by pragmatism. With crucial games on the horizon, not least in the Champions League, Drogba and his team-mates have resolved to focus on getting the results that would raise morale.
Grant had little time to prepare for Sunday's defeat at United, having only been given the job on the Thursday, but he and the players enjoyed themselves more at Hull City on Wednesday night, where they recorded a 4-0 League Cup victory.
Grant had one worry lifted yesterday, with Uefa set to allow him to coach his players from the touchline in next Wednesday's Champions League tie against Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium without a Pro Licence.
Uefa rules state that coaches in the Champions League need the licence to enter the technical area but the European governing body will permit Grant to fulfil his duties without restraint during the 12-week period of grace allowed by the Premier League while the issue over his lack of a licence is resolved.
