Hiddink to become Russian football ambassador?
Published: 20 May, 2009, 19:06
Guus Hiddink (AFP Photo / Chris Ratcliffe)
Russian football authorities want national team manager Guus Hiddink to help them in their 2018 World Cup bid.
"We hope that Guus Hiddink will become an ambassador for our bid to hold the 2018 World Cup in Russia," Russian Football Union general director Aleksey Sorokin told RIA Novosti.
He also said the Russian football governing body plans “to hold talks with Hiddink as soon as he flies into Moscow for preparations for a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Finland".
The game is scheduled for June 10.
Sorokin added that the Russian Football Union would also approach a number of other figures, including other foreigners, to promote Russia's bid.
Russians associate the name of Guus Hiddink with the country’s recent victories in the sport. The Dutchman has managed Russia since 2006, leading the team to the semifinals of Euro 2008. In February 2009, he also took over at Chelsea until the end of the season, and is due to return to coaching Russia full-time after the London club's FA Cup final clash with Everton on May 30.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko to prepare the country's 2018 World Cup bid.
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Guus Hiddink is Great!!! Without him Russia could never achieve much in the football