Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has said that Guus Hiddink is the ideal man to steady the ship at Stamford Bridge after the departure of Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho's second spell in charge of the Blues ended yesterday after only four wins and nine defeats in 16 Premier League games this season.

Wilkins, who left Chelsea five years ago, believes that Hiddink would be "absolutely perfect" to return to West London for a second time after leading the Blues to FA Cup success in 2009 when in a similar bit-part role.

"As an interim manager, he would love the challenge, I'm sure," Wilkins told talkSPORT.

"He would be the one person I would say would be absolutely perfect to come in to the end of the season and straighten them out."

Wilkins also said that the players were largely to blame for Mourinho's downfall this term, signalling Willian as the only one to stand out since they won the Premier League seven months ago.

"I honestly do believe the players need to take a lot of blame for this as well because they really haven't performed," added Wilkins. "The only player that's performed on any sort of consistent level is Willian."

Hiddink's former employers, Football Federation Australia, said last night that he had got the job at Stamford Bridge, although they have since edited their story to say that he is just in the frame to succeed Mourinho.