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MUTKO: EVERYBODY SHOULD HELP ADVOCAAT
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Vitaliy Mutko Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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The Russian minister for Sport, Tourism and youth policy,
FIFA executive committee member, and former RFU president, Vitaliy Mutko
commented on the situation in the Russian football and the chances of
Russia to win the World Cup-2018.
- You were heading the Russian Football Union when Guus Hiddink was head
coach of the Russian national team. Do not you think that we parted with
them improperly. The Dutch could not get his money for a long time and
there were no farewell ceremony only an official statement on the website.
- Partly I can agree with you. By the way Guus had a common contract with
the RFU - 2 million euros. In some national teams coaches get much more.
And besides there was a contract with the fund 'National Academy of Football'
[founded by Roman Abramovich]. In essence NAF took on Hiddink to promote
the image of our football.
To my mind the Dutch specialist accomplished his tasks though the failure
at the World Cup-2010 qualification is of course bad luck. But the main
thing is that he changed the attitude to football in the country and to
our national squad in the world. Any match with him, any presentation,
press conference, draw - everything worked for the image of our team.
When Hiddink took over the team it was ranked 39 in the FIFA standings
and then it rose to the 6th position. At the European Cup-2012 draw Russia
was already in the first pot. Nevertheless we have very strong opponents
in the group.
- And how you estimate then the choice of Advocaat as the new head coach
for the Russian team?
- The choice of the head coach is the main responsibility of the President
of the national federation. Advocaat is not a bad coach and he proved
it wining the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Supercup with Zenit. But a club is
one thing and a national team is quite different.
Then. As you can understand we were planning a different strategy of development
- we wanted a Russian specialist to come after Hiddink. But at the moment
the topic is closed - the Federation has already appointed a new coach.
And we all should help him and not wait for his mistakes and goofs. The
national team means highest country's interests.
The other thing is that such questions should not be decided behind the
scenes. And we are going to end it up officially introducing some legislation
to control it. When it deals with national interests the decision should
be clear and the mechanism of its taking should be transparent. We have
45 Olympic kinds of sport, 45 head coaches - and we should understand
what these people are and how they occur.
- Is it Advocaat's own business that he parted with the Belgian Football
Union unfriendly?
- No, it is our common business taking into account that Russia put forward
a bid for hosting of the World Cup. The simplest is that a Belgian representative
is sitting in the FIFA executive committee. At the moment the RFU is trying
to solve the problem with the Belgian officials.
We should behave normally in the world football family. Of course Advocaat
has the right to choose more ambitious goals supported economically but
he is to decide everything for himself with his former employers. Russia
is out of the question. We have met with the management of the Belgian
Football Federation at the FIFA Congress.
- What candidates for the World Cup have more chances before the voting
of 2 December?
- First of all I think that the World Cup-2018 will take place in Europe.
There is only one non-European bid left - American. According to my information
they also wanted to quit the competition and bid the World Cup-2022 only.
But the USA did not do it. It is their tactics. And they can be left without
anything. After all Asia and South America approve of the World Cup-2018
being held in Europe.
As for our European competitors we respect all of them. But I think that
we should pay most of the attention to Portugal with Spain and England.
We cannot underestimate the English bid. Maybe there are fewer chances
for Belgium together with the Netherlands. So Russia has two major rivals.
- Can Russia learn something from South Africa if we win the bidding for
the World Cup?
- We can learn a lot in terms of building and maintenance of sports and
other infrastructure. Stadiums are built economically and are multi-functional.
I think that South Africa took advantage of the possibility to develop
their economy. As for the bidding than South Africa did not have such
tough a competition as we face for the candidates were only among African
countries. And the main argument in our favour is the same - football
should give incentive to overall development and after a World Cup some
heritage should be left.
Had the choice of FIFA executive committee been Russia our cities will
have an opportunity for a comprehensive development, building not only
of stadiums, but airports, roads, hotels, medical centres, training camps
as well. So we should compete for the World Cup.
Sport
Express Daily, 28 July 2010
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