FAMILIAR foes came out of the hat when Wales' World Cup
qualifying group was drawn last week - none more so than the last team
to break Welsh hearts.
Russia joined the likes of Scotland and Romania in blocking Wales' progress
to a major finals when they won a two-legged play-off for a spot at Euro
2004.
And if that was a big night in Welsh football, Andrei Kanchelskis - who
watched the decisive second leg in the crowd at the Millennium Stadium
- remembers it as 'one of the most important games in Russian football
history'.
Said the former Manchester United, Everton and Russia winger: 'I will
remember that game for a very long time. After the 0-0 draw in Moscow,
Russia weren't the favourites. The game could have gone both ways, but
Vadim Evseev's goal gave Russia the win, one of the most important in
Russian football history.
'The Millennium is a great stadium, one of the best in the world I would
say, and the atmosphere was fantastic.'
But it is not the atmosphere, nor Evseev's goal which are remembered from
that match - the whole play-off was overshadowed by the scandal that blew
up when it emerged that Russian captain Egor Titov, one of the country's
most high-profile and experienced players, had failed a test for the banned
drug bromantan.
The incident prompted outcry in Wales, but Kanchelskis is keen to defend
his friend and countryman.
'Let's put things straight,' says Kanchelskis, who now works as the general
manager of Russian First Division outfit Nosta.
'Titov wasn't the difference between two teams. He came on as a sub and
didn't perform even at half of his best. Of course, it was a shock when
we found out he used drugs before.
'As was proved later, the drugs didn't help his performance, and he was
punished severely, as he had to spend a whole year without football.
'I know Egor very well, and he was not guilty. The drugs were given to
Spartak Moscow players long before the Wales game and the players did
not know what they were taking.
'The scandal rumbled on in Russia for a long time, and all the back room
staff from Spartak Moscow, including the club doctors and the manager
were sacked.
'But there is no need for the Welsh to worry - nobody in the Russia team
takes drugs now.'
The national team has, though, been given a massive adrenaline boost in
the form of Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who has enhanced his international
guru status by taking Russia to Euro2008 at England's expense.
And Kanchelskis believes Hiddink has injected a new professionalism into
the national team.
'First of all he changed the mentality of the players,' he said. 'He is
a winner and wants the same from his team.
'Secondly, with Hiddink in charge Russia started to play more attacking
football, and in the majority of the games they are just more interesting
to watch.
'If they complete their preparations properly, they could surprise many
people during Euro 2008, though I wouldn't rank them among the favourites.
'There are still a few players left in the squad - Igor
Semshov, Sergei Ignashevich, Dmitry Sychev and Alexander Kerzhakov - but
this is a essentially a different team.
'I'm not sure if Russia are stronger now, but in some aspects they have
definitely improved: the discipline is much better and the current team
is much quicker, I think.'
Turning his thoughts to the Welsh national team, Kanchelskis was quick
to focus on the recent international retirement of his former Manchester
United team-mate Ryan Giggs.
While the Russian was making his rampaging runs for United down the right,
the young Welshman was performing a similar role on the opposite flank,
and Kanchelskis has always been effusive in his praise of his fellow winger.
'Ryan is one of the best players I have played with or against,' he said.
'He is a genius, a player whose abilities are second to none in his position.
'I can't say that his decision to quit international football was a big
surprise.
'These days, top players play too many games and you have to sacrifice
something to get an extra year or two in the final part of your career.
'One thing I will say is that it is a huge injustice that one of the best
players in the world never played in a big tournament.
'He came very close three years ago and even hit the post in Moscow: who
knows how history could have turned out had that ball gone in!
'Players like Giggs appear once or twice in a century, but football will
never be a game about one single player.
'Wales still have a competitive squad. Who knows, maybe someone like Craig
Bellamy will now lead the Welsh national team to the success that Giggs
couldn't.'
,
Dec 2 2007
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
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