Russia will deliver killer blow to England hopes, vows
Hiddink
By Sam Wallace
He was the man who got away from the Football Association
and yesterday the Russia coach, Guus Hiddink, said he believed that Croatia
and Russia would be the two nations who would qualify for Euro 2008 from
Group E. The Dutchman added that his Russia team would come to Wembley
on Wednesday to beat England.
Hiddink famously told the FA that he was not prepared to go through an
interview to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson last year - and instead asked
to be judged on his track record. The governing body ruled him out of
the appointment process on that basis and went on to give the job to Steve
McClaren, whose side, realistically, must win on Wednesday to keep their
Euro 2008 hopes alive.
England beat Israel 3-0 on Saturday and McClaren learnt yesterday that
Frank Lampard will not be fit for Wednesday's game and is likely to miss
Chelsea's Premier League game against Blackburn on Saturday. He may well
be excused to leave the England hotel and return to Chelsea's training
ground to continue his rehabilitation from a thigh injury. Lampard is
targeting the Champions League game against Rosenborg on Tuesday week
for his comeback and, failing that, the trip to Old Trafford five days
later.
With Owen Hargreaves likely to be fit, and Peter Crouch back from suspension,
McClaren has some big decisions to make as he faces one of the most celebrated
coaches in world football. Hiddink described his team yesterday as a side
"in transition", but he also said - as politely as possible
- that he believes England will lose out to Russia for a place in next
summer's tournament.
"I think three teams are competing for it [qualification],"
he said in an interview with BBC Radio Five Live. "I wouldn't be
really any good at my job if I didn't say Russia was among the two. Croatia
are in the lead and they don't spoil [drop] many points. Everyone has
to play everyone and it is still very complicated. From a starting point,
every team wants to win. The team that I am in charge of must always go
for a win."
Emile Heskey has a slight hip injury after Saturday's game but he is expected
to train today. With England in third place and one point behind Russia
in Group E, a win will put them in a strong position when they visit Moscow
for the return game on 17 October, provided they get all three points
at home to Estonia four days' earlier.
Hiddink brushed aside suggestions that England are significantly weaker
without injured players such as Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Lampard.
" I have seen some highlights of the England game and they clearly
dominated," Hiddink said. "I know Israel has potential if you
let them play. England did a very good job. I like to see the best players
play for the spectators.
"Of course those key players are always important, that's why they
are key players. But the subs are not really subs because they are big
names in England and they are super-motivated to do even better. For me
it is not a big difference [with players out] and they [replacements]
are doing well - so it is not a disadvantage."
He also dangled the possibility that he may be available - for Chelsea
or England - after next summer's Euro 2008 when his contract expires.
" I'm a 60-year-old coach and I don't know what the future will bring,"
he said. "They [the Russian football federation] want me to stay
regardless of results because they feel we are now on the edge of something.
I haven't made up my mind yet."
The England players were understood to be unhappy at the treatment of
David Bentley who came on for the last seven minutes of Saturday's game
and was booed by the home fans. The Blackburn Rovers midfielder, booed
because he opted not to play for the England Under-21s in this summer's
European Championship, was told by McClaren that it was something he would
simply have to "handle" himself.
"I can't do anything about it," McClaren said. "I don't
want to be negative. The fans gave us a great platform at the beginning
and kept going all the way through. We need it again on Wednesday.
"It was disappointing but players have to handle that. David Bentley
has to handle that. He has to handle it in the best way, through his performances
on the park. Frank Lampard has [done] exactly the same."
The England captain, John Terry, had a painkilling injection before the
game on Saturday but Steven Gerrard played without one in his broken toe.
McClaren said that Gerrard was in good shape despite suffering cramp towards
the end of the game. "You play as well as the opposition let you
play and we made Israel look ordinary," he said.
"I hope we do the same against Russia. They are a very good team.
They are very well organised - Guus Hiddink always has organised teams.
They don't concede many goals. The onus will be on us to produce a performance
like that and make Russia look as ordinary as Israel did."
, 10 September 2007
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
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