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MUTKO: HIDDINK TO COMBINE TWO POSTS TILL SUMMER
The President of RFU and Russian minister for Sport Vitaly Mutko spoke
to Sport Express traditionally before the start of the season.
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Vitaly Mutko Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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"It is my first opening of the season as Minister for
Sport," said Mutko. "And now I regard football as a part of
Russian sport. And I see some details in organization and structure of
competitions quite differently."
"I can specify the priorities of making football participate more
actively in the process of health promotion of the nation."
"I hope that in the coming season the financial crisis prevents no
team from First and Second Division from finishing the season. I wish
the progressive advance of the previous years continued."
"We obtained the right to have six clubs in European Cups and that
is why it is important so that these clubs are competitive and become
so through the tough fight of the regular championship."
"And we cannot neglect the tasks of our national teams. The men's
team should guarantee the ticket to South Africa to the World Cup, the
youth team has the goal to get to the Olympics in London and our women
are going to participate at the final stage of the Euro after eight years
of break."
"Most of all we are worried because of the crisis for the consequences
are not clear enough yet. It is hard time in regions where incomes of
the clubs are cut by 25-30% and they need governmental support not only
financial but mostly organizational and administrative."
"Though I don't think there will be a collapse. Those who supported
football would do it, only donations would be cut but that is normal."
"I said that our first six clubs should be very strong and almost
equal though at the moment I agree that CSKA and Zenit are higher than
others. But we have not seen Lokomotiv or Spartak this season yet. Or
Saturn, that is to enter a new higher level."
"I understand that probably Amkar will have it hard in Europe, though
Amkar, Dynamo and Rubin must obtain this invaluable experience - or they
would never become successful without it."
"European Cups give enormous experience - everything is different
there: atmosphere, stadiums, refereeing. You should get accustomed to
it, and it is impossible to pass the first stage smoothly."
"At the moment we have an agreement with Guus Hiddink that he combines
to posts only till the summer. Of course everything changes but we should
take into account that for Hiddink it is better to work with a national
team."
"He is not only a coach, but also an organizer, politician and not
a man of club. I don't think he would agree to join any other club but
Chelsea. And it is not because his specific relations with Roman Abramovits.
But because Chelsea is a kind of the 'world's team' where any coach would
like to work."
Sport
Express Daily, 11 Mar 2009
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