Bournemouth vs. Chelsea: Guus Hiddink's Key Quotes from Pre-Match Presser

Guus Hiddink has said a "wise" recruitment strategy can help Chelsea find bargains in the transfer window while conceding the Blues' have had a "difficult" time promoting their youth graduates to the first team. 

The manager's comments come in the wake of technical director Michael Emenalo's assertion the club "can't just buy your way out of trouble all the time" and insistence they are hoping to establish their youngsters in the first team, per Sky Sports.

According to Chelsea, Hiddink said:

Emenalo also took aim at Tottenham Hotspur, arguing they have been overhyped for developing young players and citing Harry Kane as their only recent academy success with Eric Dier and Dele Alli having been signed from elsewhere.

Hiddink gave his own take, per GetWestLondon's Matt Lewis:

"

It’s difficult to judge who is coming through between 12-16 in Tottenham. I think Kane was one of them and the rest were bought—that’s what you told me.

We talk about our own situation, not others. We have an academy of course, and with the demands, they are very high in the first team level. It’s a hard step. It also means that recruitment that makes very high standard. That’s not easy.

We are a bit lacking, that they are ready to come into the first team within a year, if we are honest.

"

Chelsea have received criticism of their treatment of young players in recent years, with vast numbers of them loaned out each season rather than given first-team opportunities, despite their academy winning the UEFA Youth League two years running.

ESPN FC's Liam Twomey praised Hiddink's handling of the question:

The Blues take on both Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City in their run-in with both teams gunning for a shock Premier League title win. Hiddink acknowledged the Foxes are the neutrals' overwhelming favourite and vowed his side would give their all in both matches despite having little to play for themselves:

Chelsea travel to Bournemouth on Saturday, and according to Lewis, the 69-year-old heaped praise on counterpart Eddie Howe, who has overseen their rise through the Football League and realistically kept them up comfortably at the first attempt:

"

To keep them in the Championship is very difficult. There is not much to say about them, which is a very good sign, they were mostly out of the danger zone. He is an example of English manager as to how well they can do.

Giving chances to English managers—this is a beautiful example as to how you manage it. It’s a fairytale story for them, when I said before they were strong, it shows good management, good transfer policy and hopefully the second year, though more difficult, how they manage that.

But so far, when you are coming up from bottom to the Premier League—very respectful.

"

Per Chelsea, he gave the latest team news ahead of the clash, including an update on captain John Terry:

The Dutchman also revealed Eden Hazard could feature against the Cherries, according to Twomey:

Chelsea are only three points ahead of Bournemouth and have lost their last two matches, while they have won just one of their last four, and that came against the hapless Aston Villa.

The Blues should have enough quality to see off the Cherries even at Dean Court, but Howe's impressive unit will likely force them to work hard for their points and may even snatch a positive result themselves.