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HIDDINK: PERSPECTIVE OF RUSSIA IN UEFA CUP IS OPTIMISTIC
The head coach of the Russian national football team Guus Hiddink gave
his first interview to Sport Express after heading Chelsea.
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Guus Hiddink (R) and Didier Drogba Photo
REUTERS
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The debut of Hiddink in the English Premier League turned
out successful as Chelsea outplayed their tough opponents Aston Villa
1:0 in Birmingham.
- I would like first of all congratulate you with the victory over Aston
Villa. I watched this match and saw how difficult it was for Chelsea to
win.
- It was really a very difficult match. The opponent has not lost for
many matches already and moreover they played at home. But Chelsea managed
to get what they wanted and snatched three points. It is very important
for us now. In fact we were meeting our direct rival. This victory helped
us outstrip Aston Villa and get the third place in the standings. The
first time was good for us but in the second we did not play very well.
At the end we created two dangerous moments but failed to score though
ended up with a victory. I hope that will be a starting point for the
club's new successes.
- In the last round one more Chelsea's opponent Liverpool had a tie score.
That means that their lead is only three points so in the nearest future
you can catch up and outstrip them thus planting yourself on the second
place.
- That is true but the difference with Manchester United leading in the
Premier League is ten points. It will be very difficult to catch up with
them but we will try. Impossible is nothing in football so you should
believe in yourself and never give up.
- How did players of the new team receive you?
- Wonderfully! I was very impressed with the club's infrastructure. At
the Chelsea's camp they have about thirty fields! The whole mechanism
works very neatly any detail is paid attention to. In general it is a
real European top-club where there are good conditions for fruitful work.
- But there was no result till you came:
- I see what you mean, all these rumors about the seedy atmosphere in
the club are incorrect. And I have seen it for myself as soon as I joined
the club. Indeed the players are united with the common goal to win the
titles. And local failures did not shatter their confidence. After all
the decisive matches lie ahead and there is enough time to improve the
situation in the League.
- On Wednesday you are hosting Juventus in the Champions League on Stamford
Bridge. Who is the favourite of the clash?
- Juventus is a very serious opponent with great players. They have almost
two equally good squads. We will have most difficult matches but I hope
that we are to come out winners.
- Last Friday at the press conference you have said that you have already
decided your future in Chelsea. Can you explain the situation?
- I am working in Chelsea till the end of the season. In other words the
last time I mange the team is in May. And then I am going to concentrate
fully on the Russian national team where we have to decide the task to
get through to the World Cup 2010. I just wanted to make it clearer as
everybody kept asking me if I would stay in London.
- I can imagine the burden on you. Do you have time to deal with the Russian
team's matters?
- Of course I have. On Sunday I had a long conversation with Alexandr
Borodyuk. He told me that Dmitry Torbinksy started training at last and
that Denis Kolodin took part in a control match of Dynamo. I know that
Igor Korneev visited the match Zenit vs. Stuttgart in St. Petersburg.
So as you can see I know everything. I want to say that I have great assistants.
- Last week you visited the match Aston Villa vs. CSKA in Birmingham.
What are your impressions?
- I liked the game of CSKA a lot, their confidence and desire to dictate
their will. To my mind the Army-men had control over the situation on
the field for the most part of the match and only at the end they got
tired that is quite easy to understand: the season in Russia has not started
yet. Especially I liked that Igor Akinfeev and other players of the national
team performed well. It is very difficult to play against Aston Villa
and I ascertained it myself several days ago. I hope that CSKA manages
to get through to the next stage. In Luzhniki CSKA need goals, as it is
quite dangerous to keep the score 0:0. Though I doubt that they would
sit in defence.
- And what can you say about the chances of Zenit in the return leg against
Stuttgart?
- Zenit knows it perfectly well how to gain success at this stage. Last
year nobody took them serious but they had several wonderful matches and
surprised the whole football Europe. Why not repeat the success? And in
general I see the perspective of the Russian clubs in the UEFA Cup as
very optimistic.
Sport
Express Daily, 25 Feb 2009
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