|
Roman Abramovich cuts off Hiddink's Russia funding: Guus
free to join Juventus
By Ashley Gray
| |
|
|
Shoulder to shoulder: Hiddink with Chelsea
owner Roman Abramovich (right)
|
Roman Abramovich has stopped funding Guus Hiddink's ?6.25million
a year after tax salary and the Russia boss has been told he is free to
find another job.
Chelsea owner Abramovich had been picking up the bill in full through
donations from his National Academy of Football (NAF) to the Russian FA.
But it last night emerged that the agreement came to an end at the turn
of the year and NAF boss Sergey Kapkov said he was relaxed about reports
that Hiddink was being lined up to take over at Juventus.
'He is free to take any decision,' said Abramovich's closest
ally in Russian football.
The cash-strapped Russian FA would be prepared to let Hiddink join Juve
or return to Chelsea as their technical director if he took a pay cut
on the rest of his contract, which runs till July.
The Dutchman had been offered a two-year extension to stay in his post
up to Euro 2012, but the Russian FA would find it almost impossible to
pay his wages without the help of Abramovich, at a time when they are
also funding a bid to host th 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
The decision not to maintain funding comes after wrote off Chelsea's ?340m
debts and the Barclays Premier League club announced they would be keeping
a tighter rein on their wage budget.
The Italian press have reported sightings of Hiddink in Turin this week,
but his agent denies this and insists there have been negotiations with
no one since Russia failed to qualify for the World Cup in November.
'As of now, Guus Hiddink is still 100 per cent Russia coach and we had
not have any contract talks with any of the clubs regardless of what the
media, especially the Italian media, says,' said Van Nieuwenhuizen.
'Guus has just came back from a holiday in Africa and we plan to meet
this Sunday to discuss the situation with regards to his future.' Hiddink,
Abramovich and Kapkov have often been at odds with the Russian FA over
their differing views on how to take forward the game in Russia.
The 63-year-old has been reluctant to make any decision about his future
until a new president is elected for the FA on February 3.
He is unlikely to want to stay on without an ally, but Kapkov surprisingly
decided against running in the election, giving Abramovich's rival Sergey
Fursenko no significant rival for the post.
Kapkov yesterday said the door was open to resume payments
if Hiddink remained and manager and said he planned face-to-face talks
before the end of the month.
'We had an agreement that we would fund Guus Hiddink's contract until
January 1, 2010,' said Kapkov. 'We paid everything and the question of
the next salary will be decided in February, when a new head of the FA
is appointed.
'They must decide whether they want to keep Hiddink or appoint another
coach. If they need Hiddink, we must decide who pays for the contract.'
Dailymail.co.uk,
14th January 2010
|
|
