SWITZERLAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - EURO 2008 - Russia coach Guus Hiddink ready to attack the Dutch

Record ID: 758703

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - EURO 2008 - Russia coach Guus Hiddink ready to attack the Dutch
  • Date: 21st June 2008
  • Summary: HIDDINK ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSIA'S COACH GUUS HIDDINK, SAYING: "Yeah, I hope to be a big traitor tomorrow, which would mean that if i am successful to be a big traitor then I might be in Russia another man, then Holland. Maybe they don't let me in. I don't know. I am used to that." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUSSI
  • Embargoed: 6th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADT137TT5N7K5GWJ1ZHUTQ896X
  • Story Text: Russia coach Guus Hiddink says he is prepared to have his squad attacking the Dutch.
    Russia coach Guus Hiddink told journalists on Friday (June 20) he will be focussing on attack for match against the Dutch on Saturday.
    Hiddink, 61, has steered unfancied Russia into the last eight after they recovered from a thrashing by Spain.
    "I am scared as hell. That's why we have to attack" Hiddink said.
    "If you are scared and get into a position where you are dropping back and you get more scared, so there is only a way to try to attack when possible.
    I think both teams, they have the style of playing and this Dutch team, they like to play always forward", he added.
    The pair Hiddink and Dutch coach Marco van Basten, whose paths have rarely crossed over the years, will come face-to-face as coaches for the second time at the St Jakob Park stadium in Basel, with a place among the best four teams in Europe at stake.
    The only other time Hiddink and Van Basten have been in opposite dugouts was for a warm-up match in Rotterdam ahead of the 2006 World Cup when the elder statesman was Australia coach and his team recovered to draw 1-1 with the Dutch.
    Back in 1988 Hiddink had coached PSV Eindhoven to a domestic double before they completed a treble by winning the European Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Benfica in Stuttgart.
    When they lead their teams out on June 21 it will be exactly 20 years to the day since Netherlands celebrated a famous 2-1 semi-final victory over West Germany in Hamburg at Euro 1988 that finally avenged the World Cup final defeat of 1974.
    Hiddink would have watched compatriot Van Basten with pride when he grabbed the winner two minutes from time as the Dutch came from behind to beat their old rivals. On Saturday, though, he will be hoping his compatriot's magic touch deserts him.
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