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Hiddink signs two-year extension
FORMER Australia coach Guus Hiddink signed a new two-year
contract to continue guiding Russia until the 2010 World Cup in South
Africa.
The Dutchman said he was pleased with the deal.
"It took a while but we are all happy now," said Hiddink. "I
can now focus all my energy to prepare the team for Euro 2008 (in June)."
His initial contract was due to expire this July. Details of the new deal
were not disclosed.
Hiddink, 61, who guided Russia to the Euro finals from a tough group that
included Croatia and England, had been earning $3.41 million a year, according
to reports.
His salary package is paid for by Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich
through his National Academy Fund.
The Dutchman agreed in principle to extend his contract in October on
the eve of a Euro 2008 qualifier against England in Moscow but it took
another five months for the two sides to work out the detail. Most of
the negotiations were focused on paying taxes.
Last year a Dutch court handed Hiddink a six-month suspended sentence
and fined him $76,752 after finding him guilty of tax fraud.
Hiddink said he wanted to pay his taxes in Russia but the Dutch authorities
were also seeking their share.
"All the problems, including those tax issues, have been solved,"
a spokesman for the Russian Football Union said.
The deal ended media speculation the highly successful Dutchman, who led
Netherlands and South Korea to the World Cup semi-finals in 1998 and 2002
respectively, would leave in July.
Foxsports.com.au,
March 25, 2008
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