'Chelsea elder players have no choice but to respect new manager'

Former Chelsea ace Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has said that the club's elder players will have no choice but to respect new manager Andre Villas-Boas.

The Portuguese signed a three-year deal to be Chelsea's new boss yesterday after faxing his resignation to Porto on Tuesday.

At 33, Villas-Boas is just three years older than skipper John Terry and the same age as star players Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Hasselbaink, who played for Chelsea from 2000 to 2004, is adamant that the club's big names will quickly learn to toe the line regardless of their standing in the dressing room, The Sun reports.

"Villa-Boas is the boss and it doesn't matter what his age is. As a player you have to respect that and remember that you're working for the club. I don't think they'll have a choice, they'll just have to do their best for the team and for the club," he said.

Villas-Boas is already being compared to former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who led Roman Abramovich's side to Premier League glory in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

Hasselbaink, 39, believes Villas-Boas has already shown he is more than capable of matching Mourinho's achievements after leading Porto to four trophies last season.