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Hiddink Wants Russia to Stage Surprise at Euro
MOSCOW (AFP) - Guus Hiddink insisted Sunday that Russia was confident
of advancing past the group stages of Euro 2008 after being drawn in Group
D along with reigning champion Greece, Spain and Sweden.
"We should not expect any easy matches at the championship, but we
will do everything to perform at our best and maybe to produce some surprises
there," Russia coach Hiddink said.
"We are definitely not the favorites in our group.
The Spaniards and the Swedes are, while the Greeks will do their best
to secure their title."
Hiddink's assistant Igor Korneyev said they were happy to have avoided
Group C which includes Italy, France, Romania and the Netherlands.
"We are in a strong group," he said. "The reigning European
champions Greece top it, while Spain and Sweden also deservedly won the
reputation of Europe's football leaders."
"However, Group C is the strongest," he added. "Probably
we can call it the death group. It will be very interesting to watch that
group's matches."
Russian football chief Vitaly Mutko said: "The teams in our group
are more or less even. I think that any two of our group's teams can advance
into the next round. The draw in general was favorable for us. It could
be much, much more difficult."
Stanislav Cherchesov, the head coach of Russia's nine-time champions Spartak
Mosccow, said he considered Sweden the main threat.
"Sweden is the most inconvenient opponents for us," he said.
"They play a pragmatic style football, which is based on almost perfect
physical conditions of all their players.
"Spain plays more emotional football giving their rivals chances
on the counter-attacks. Meanwhile we have positive balance with the defending
champion Greece. Even four years ago in Portugal, when the Greeks won
their title, Russia was the only team who beat them."
In Group C, world champion Italy was pitted against old foe France, alongside
the top-seeded Netherlands and Romania.
Joachim Loew's Germany avoided all the big guns and the Mannschaft will
be hardly quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing debutants Poland
and Austria, the co-hosts who are rated below Haiti in FIFA's world rankings.
Croatia though, the fourth member of Group B, will demand respect after
its impressive showing in qualifying as their group leaders, knocking
out England in the process.
Group A features tournament co-hosts Swit-zerland, joined by Turkey, Portugal
and the Czech Republic. The June 7 opening match in Basel will see Switzerland
face the Czech Republic.
The Moscow News,
06/12/2007
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