Euro 2008 - Hiddink: Room for improvement

Eurosport - Sun, 22 Jun 08:07:00 2008

Coach Guus Hiddink said Russia still had room for improvement after they outclassed Netherlands 3-1 to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

FOOTBALL/Euro-2008 Gus Hiddink Russia - 0

"The players are still going through a process of improvement," Dutchman Hiddink said after their convincing extra time victory.

"They are young players but it's amazing they have learned the tactics of international football so quickly," he added.

"They are very coachable and very keen and they have the quality."

Hiddink said he was "extremely proud" of their win, especially considering they had only full two days to recover after playing Sweden in their final Group D game on Wednesday.

"We had almost no time to prepare tactically," Hiddink said. "But we were better than our opponents in every area of the game tonight, technically, tactically and physically," he added.

As for criticism of Russia's performance, Hiddink said his players had committed too many unnecessary fouls and could have shown better finishing.

"We didn't defend well against the only weapon the Dutch had which was their free kicks," he said.

"We also found it easy to make the combinations in defence and midfield but were unable to finish the moves off. We had a lot of chances to decide the match earlier."

Russia's semi-final on Thursday in Vienna will be against either world champions Italy or Spain, who meet in the last quarter-final on Sunday in the Austrian capital.

Meanwhile, Netherlands coach Marco van Basten said Russia were worth their victory because they were the better side.

"The Russians deserved to win. They played much better, they created chances. So I can live with that," said the Dutch manager who is now leaving for a career at Ajax Amsterdam.

The Dutch were overwhelmed by the hard-running Russians who scored twice in extra-time to overcome their flagging opponents 3-1 after the game had finished 1-1 in normal time.

"At the start, we had some good moves but, unfortunately, we weren't able to do what was needed," said Van Basten.

"We didn't have the match under control. Russia made it difficult for us. We had physical problems. The players didn't have the conditioning anymore at the end."

The Dutch, who sailed through the group stage with high-scoring wins over Italy and France, had their problems before the match against Russia had even kicked off.

"We were unlucky as Arjen Robben picked up an injury yesterday (Friday) and could not start," said Van Basten, who added that they were not helped by early substitutions.

"We were forced to make three substitutions during the 90 minutes and therefore we had physical problems in extra time."

"Russia really were stronger then and we could only hold the 1-1 draw until 10 minutes from time."

The Dutch started the match as favourites after comfortably winning their three Group C games but they were never allowed to reach the heights they had achieved against Italy and France.

"I have no idea why we didn't start as well as in previous matches but the team looked a bit nervous," said Van Basten.

"We had a lot of problems with (Russia playmaker Andrei) Arshavin and that really kept us out of the match."

Van Basten, in charge for the last time before starting at Ajax on July 1, said they had started the tournament well but that it was just not their day against the Russians.

He added that he felt sorry for goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who had said before the match that he would finish his international career after the tournament.

"Edwin had a great international career and really deserved to end it by winning the final of a tournament like this," said Van Basten of the Manchester United keeper who has won 128 caps.

Reuters

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

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  1. i would like russia to progress to the finals...but its not very probable..but they won holland didnt they???
    GO RUSSIAN BROTHERS!!!!

    From vanja4freedom, on Sun 22 Jun 6:52PM

  2. No team is invinsible. Nigeria did beat a much more 'loaded' Spain in 1998; with firebrand Raul & all. Russia beat England during the qualifier & also beat the Cech even without playmaker Arshavin. The good thing about this Russian team is that there are so many raw talents here...& they're still so impresionable. No team has created more clear chances in this tournament than Russia. Imagine if they had scored all those open chances against Holland; it would have been a truckload. If you ask me, I think Russia & Turkey have thought other high-falutin teams that over-paid players are not always better skilled or equiped. Russia will rule the world someday. They're not only good looking people; they're also humble & nice.

    From Alozie E, on Sun 22 Jun 6:14PM

  3. I'm Russian from Moscow. I really hope that we'll be winners in this year. My British friends, it's notable that we was on the right side of the match in Moscow ( Russia 2:1 England)=) Ìû ëó÷øèå!!! Ðîññèÿ- ×åìïèîí!!!

    From q3vampir, on Sun 22 Jun 1:49PM

  4. The same thing will happen to Russia in the semis that happened to Hollnd last night.At the moment Russia will feel they are unbeatable just like Holland did but then they will lose in the semis.

    From Justin, on Sun 22 Jun 1:10PM

  5. Hey "despara66" are you kidding me?! You are talking about culture and all that stuff! You got comments in wrong site, this is football! Get out of here...

    From uzfarrukh, on Sun 22 Jun 12:12PM

  6. I am Swedish but I am not surprised by what people think of Turkey.Europe is full of rasist people like you Arthuram and the comment you made about Turkey.They are simple good people and if you and all the rasist people get away from all your negative energy that is holding you back as a person you will discover other people and learn that love is all we need in life in make a better world.

    Hope you read this comment and really think about what I have said.

    Roland

    From Roland, on Sun 22 Jun 11:19AM

  7. All i can say is all you people that think Russia is a @#$% team ur just jelouse, so up your and Turkey is the shittest team of the tournament so I am hoping the Germans would do all of us a favour and send thouse turks back to their shitting turkistan land so we can never see them again........

    From arthuram2000, on Sun 22 Jun 10:46AM

  8. Watch this space.I have said from the beginning that Turkey would do well and that Russia with Hiddink as coach can go far.Russia v Turkey in the final you will see.Even if Turkey is missing players against Germany they play as a team and work for eachother and they have luck on thier side which every teams needs.

    Hiddink is a master coach and he has proved that with South Korea and Australia.I am happy for him and this is good for football.

    Roland

    From Roland, on Sun 22 Jun 10:44AM

  9. 2 Dutches(Advokaat&Hiddink) beat the Holland. anyway the next match will look different. hope russia meets germany on 29.

    From GHENCEA B, on Sun 22 Jun 9:15AM

  10. So the way it goes Russia - Turkey in final???

    From nathan nasr, on Sun 22 Jun 9:00AM

  11. Celebrate Russia but they showed up all their capacity in the match against Holland and when they meet either Italy or Spain in semi-final. I do not think either Italy or Spain can allow them do that, Russia may meet more difficult. The best player of Russia is Arshavin, he will be locked and has not much spaces to perform especially when they meet Italy with strong and experienced players.

    From MR. JANG, on Sun 22 Jun 8:37AM

  12. last night russia played better than holland, they deserve to win. holland must consider to take hiddink as a manager again. marco van basten, im still your fans

    From VinceT, on Sun 22 Jun 8:30AM

  13. Football won last night. Russia were brilliant. Holland's bubble burst. There are two many overpaid and overhyped players in England, Spain, Holland etc etc. They have no passion and only care about themselves. Look at Ronaldo. He's overhyped and will soon be more overpaid. Being a Real Madrid fan I have seen my team sign to many Twats like Ronaldo. Finally under Schuster I thought we would get good hard working passionate players, but once again the prospect of big financial gain has made them chase the so-called best player in the world. Messi is a better more honest player. Asharvin last night give an example of how a player should act and aspire to be. He is class.
    So I'm glad Holland are gone. Russia palyed better football and I hope they get the chance to avenge the Spanish defeat, because Spain are also overhyped.

    From bg.doyle, on Sun 22 Jun 8:14AM

  14. the way Russia played against Holland was marvelous and if they play with the same zeal,flair and commitment in the semis no team can stop them not even the "suffocating" Italians.Come on Russia the cup is yours.

    From sangmboa, on Sun 22 Jun 8:12AM

  15. the Russia played against Holland was marvelous and if they play with the same zeal,flair and commitment in the semis no team can stop them not even the "suffocating" Italians.Come on Russia the cup is yours.

    From sangmboa, on Sun 22 Jun 8:09AM

  16. iam really stund, are we going to have the unusual champon?i thought holand will go all out to the final, but it never happened.

    From onuks09, on Sun 22 Jun 7:50AM

  17. this is soccer !!!underdogs proving to be title contenders,really interesting. i strongly feels credits MUST go to Dick Avocaat (Zennith St Petersburg's coach) and mighty Guus Hiddink,these two dutches have really revolutionarised the Russian soccer.i don't think Spain can repeat their luck again with this Russian team after what I saw last night !
    i can still remember i read one World Soccer magazine about two yrs back stating russian soccer were abt limiting the number of foreign players that can participate in a game to i think 3 or 5 (can't remember well).now they play very good soccer,they are now in the last four, i wish them all the best of luck.

    From mac81cm, on Sun 22 Jun 6:37AM

  18. Whatever it was good preformance from Russian side becouse of Guus (Hiddink) But It was big mistake from Marco Van Basten He thought they can beet Russia easily and he did other mistake was replacing Kuijt or Kuyt with Van Persie it wil be more much better if he replaced him with Robben and of course O Egelaar with Van Persie. However coachs now better It`s my own opinion. It`s really shame to Holland. I`ve never thought that Russia ever can beet Holland especially with this Hollands squad.

    From dux, on Sun 22 Jun 3:47AM

  19. from fidelix adoye: thanks for updating me but i'd tick the dutch to pick the trophy, wat a astouding surprise.

    From fidelixomo, on Sun 22 Jun 2:25AM

  20. Russia will fall to Spain or Italy. I watched Russia a lot in qualifying and they are one dimensional. Arshavin is a threat but the defense is a joke. Spain whipped Russia 4-1, expect a similar result.

    From Doctor Death, on Sun 22 Jun 2:05AM
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