New Russian Soccer Coach

[mikeusc]

Well I just hope that they prepare well for the Euro 2004 qualifying stage which begins in september, their first match is very important.

MOSCOW - Valery Gazzayev will take over as coach of Russia's national soccer team, replacing Oleg Romantsev, who resigned after the squad's disappointing performance at the World Cup, news reports said.

Russia was knocked out in the first round at the World Cup, losing to Japan and Belgium. The elimination angered Russians already resentful of their country's post-Soviet troubles, and the loss to Japan sparked a riot in Moscow in which two people died.

There had been growing calls in Russia to find a foreign coach for its national squad - a suggestion that even won the endorsement of one of President Vladimir Putin's top aides, Sergei Yastrzhembsky.

Russian fans and media have remarked at length on the success of foreign coaches at the World Cup, notably Dutchman Guus Hiddink who guided the South Korean team into the final four.

Two Russian oil magnates even offered to pay up to dlrs 1 million a year for a foreign coach for the team.

But Russian Football Union President Vyacheslav Koloskov said he was against hiring a foreign coach, according to ITAR-Tass news agency.

Gazzayev was previously the coach of Moscow's CSKA team, or Central Army Club.

The vice president of the football union, parliament member Valery Draganov, said the decision to pick Gazzayev had been unanimous, according to Interfax news agency. /The Associated Press/