|
Abramovich to provide $5 million for Hiddink's salary
| |
|
|
/rian.ru/
|
MOSCOW - Roman Abramovich will pay $5 million into the
bank account of the Russian Football Union to guarantee the salary of
the national side's trainer, Guus Hiddink, Sovetski Sport said on Wednesday.
The sports daily wrote that the transfer of the money had been agreed
on at a recent meeting between Chelsea owner Abramovich, the Russian Football
Union president and sports minister Vitali Mutko, and the head of Abramovich's
National Football Academy, Sergei Kapkov.
Kapkov told the paper that the men had agreed that Abramovich would "transfer
$5 million into the account of the Russian Football Union for the payment
of Guus Hiddink's salary." He added that neither Abramovich nor the
National Football Academy would gain anything from the deal.
"It is important for us that Guus is calm about his future and the
future of the national side," Kapkov said.
Earlier reports had suggested that Hiddink had not received his salary
for two months. However, the trainer denied this in an interview with
the paper, saying: "everything is OK." His salary is believed
to be around $4.5 million a year.
The 62-year-old trainer earlier told the paper that while "money
is not the main thing," and that he did not want to leave Russia,
he was concerned that his assistants had not been paid the bonuses promised
to them after the side reached the last four at this summer's Euro 2008.
"I trust Roman," he said, adding that the businessman had told
him that he would pay his salary himself if the financial crisis made
it impossible for the Russian Football Union to do so.
Hiddink's contract with Russia runs until after the 2010 World Cup in
South Africa, although he earlier said that had not ruled out extending
it "if I feel needed."
The financial crisis has already affected Russian soccer, with Spartak
Moscow and CSKA Moscow reportedly putting plans to build new stadiums
on hold and two Moscow Region sides set to merge over "financial
difficulties."
Hiddink is due to attend Wednesday's UEFA Cup match between Spartak Moscow
and his former club, NEC Nijmegen of the Netherlands. The Dutch trainer
played for the side from 1978 to 1981.
The ex-Real Madrid and Netherlands coach took over the Russian national
side in 2006. Despite some initial resistance to having a foreigner in
charge of the team, the vast majority of the country has now been won
over. Indeed, such was the affection felt for Hiddink that babies were
named in his honor after the side's 3-1 victory over Holland in the quarterfinals
of Euro 2008.
RIA
Novosti, December 3, 2008
|
|
