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Guus Hiddink: Yuri Zhirkov Can Star For Chelsea
Versatile Russian can adapt to different systems...
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Yuri Zhirkov - Chelsea (PA)
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Russia national coach Guus Hiddink has backed winger Yuri
Zhirkov to be a hit at Chelsea, despite the anonymous start the player
has made to his Stamford Bridge career due to injury.
Some observers have expressed concerns that Zhirkov, a man who favours
a wide left midfield role, might not fit into Carlo Ancelotti's new system
at Chelsea, with the Italian coach favouring a narrow midfield diamond.
Hiddink, though, insists that the former CSKA Moscow man is versatile
enough to fit into any system.
"Although he had a difficult pre-season because of his injury, I
have heard the comments already from the players and staff that he is
very skilful and very fast," Hiddink told Chelsea's official website.
"It is a pity he has had this pre-season but when he adapts himself,
and he will adapt, and learns the new language as soon as possible which
I challenge him to do, then he will be of great use to Chelsea because
he is a skilful player.
"He has to adapt to another culture but all the players are always
keen on new players to help them out. With the system Carlo plays he will
have to play differently to the way you utilise him for Russia. Will he
find that easy?
"He can play in some different spots. He can play at left full-back
but he can also play on the left of the midfield diamond. He is multi-useful."
Hiddink also backed Ancelotti for success in west London, affirming that
his impression of Chelsea was of a different team in terms of formation
from the one he moulded into FA Cup winners in his interim spell at the
club last season, but also a side that was moving forward intelligently.
He added: "There have not been many, many changes in what we have
played the last four months of last season. It is the same players almost
and they know what to do and Carlo has a lot of experience. He knows how
to use the players and it is smoothly changing and the team is giving
a very strong impression.
"I saw various flashes and it was good to see. They look powerful
and they have this appearance of - hey, it is difficult to play us - and
they are doing well. The midfield is working very well and the defence
know what to do."
Hiddink also felt that England's demolition of Croatia at Wembley on Wednesday
night was a sign that Fabio Capelllo's men might well be a threat in next
summer's World Cup in South Africa.
"They know what they have to do and they did well in qualification.
In the previous times it was a little shaky but now it is stable,"
he asserted.
"They are a very competitive team, very strong in midfield, up front
they are strong also and it is a complete team with experience. They have
a good chance to do beautiful things in South Africa."
Zack Wilson
Goal.com,
11-Sep-2009
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