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Hiddink's magic touch
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Photo: smh.com.au
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Moscow: Long before Guus Hiddink took over Russia's national
team midway through 2006 he was considered a lucky coach after quickly
turning mediocre teams into formidable opponents.
The charismatic Dutchman became a national hero in South Korea in 2002
by leading the World Cup co-hosts to the semi-finals, knocking out fancied
Italy and Spain along the way.
Four years later he took Australia to their first World Cup in 32 years
after they upset former world champions Uruguay in a play-off.
In Germany, the Australians, regarded by many as outsiders,
advanced from their first-round group that also included Brazil, Croatia
and Japan, before succumbing to eventual champions Italy after conceding
a controversial penalty in the last minute.
Hiddink's seemingly magical powers reached a new height last month when
he guided unfancied Russia to Euro 2008 following an amazing turn of events
in the qualifiers.
The Russians looked well on their way to next year's finals after beating
England in Moscow in October but apparently threw away their chances by
losing to Israel in Tel Aviv the following month.
Their fortunes, however, were revived just four days later when already-qualified
Croatia stunned England 3-2 at Wembley, clearing Russia's path to the
finals.
Hiddink himself likened the miraculous escape to playing Russian Roulette.
'Only Russians can put five bullets in a six-chamber pistol, pull the
trigger and survive,' the 61-year-old coach said after his team squeezed
past tiny Andorra 1-0 in their last qualifier to book a place in the finals
in Austria and Switzerland.
The players just praised Hiddink's lucky streak.
'Guus's magic made it possible. He is just one lucky guy,' was the verdict
of Russia captain Andrei Arshavin.
Winger Yuri Zhirkov echoed his team mate: 'It was an impossible dream
that turned into reality.'
Hiddink, who also led his native The Netherlands to the World Cup semi-finals
in 1998, has always maintained that his success is the result of hard
work, good planning and preparation but for some the magic theory is just
too tempting to resist.
When Russia made a slow start to their Euro 2008 campaign with home draws
against Croatia and Israel, Russian FA chief Vitaly Mutko questioned Hiddink's
'magic touch'.
'I was told you're a magician. Well, maybe I was misled?' the temperamental
Mutko, who was responsible for luring Hiddink to Russia, told the Dutchman
after Israel scored a late goal to snatch a 1-1 draw in Moscow in October
2006.
The remark apparently irked Hiddink but he soon found a winning formula,
turning an often underachieving Russian side into a redoubtable force.
The
Telegraph, 12 Dec 2007
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