Russia should be wary of appointing another foreign coach to replace Dick Advocaat when the Dutchman leaves after Euro 2012 in July, CSKA Moscow and Russia defender Sergei Ignashevich told RIA Novosti on Monday.
Advocaat said Monday he would step down after Euro 2012 following two years in charge, in comments reported by Russian daily Sport-Express on Monday.
Advocaat had previously worked in Russia with Zenit St. Petersburg, but hiring a coach new to the country could backfire, Ignashevich said.
“If we now hire a foreigner without experience of working in Russia, then it’s a significant risk. He’d need a long time to familiarize himself with the special characteristics of the job.”
Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti and Anzhi coach Guus Hiddink, who led Russia between 2006 and 2010, are foreigners who could benefit the team, Ignashevich said.
“They’re both familiar with working in our country and have done a huge amount to recommend themselves, so if we’re going to look especially at hiring a foreigner, then these two options, it seems to me, are worth looking at first,” he said.
A Russian coach has not been at the helm of the national team since Yuri Syomin resigned in 2006, but this should be seriously considered, Ignashevich said.
“Now there’s a good chance to let a Russian coach work. As experience shows, there’s not a big difference in the methods of preparation and running of the training process between our coaches, who work at leading Russian clubs, and the best European coaches.”
“I think that our coaches aren’t standing still and, without a doubt, have earned the chance to lead the country’s greatest team.”
Ignashevich’s CSKA and Russia teammate Vasily Berezutsky earlier said that a Russian coach should lead the Russian team.
There are four coaches working at leading Russian Premier League clubs; CSKA’s Leonid Slutsky, Spartak Moscow’s Valery Karpin, Dynamo Moscow coach Sergei Silkin and Rubin Kazan boss Kurban Berdyev, all of whose teams are challenging for European qualification.
Reports in the Russian media have claimed that Advocaat may be seeking a return to club coaching.
Advocaat won the Dutch title with PSV Eindhoven in 1996 before taking two Scottish titles with Rangers.
Before taking the Russia job, he was coach of Zenit St. Petersburg, where he won the 2007 Russian championship and beat Rangers to win the UEFA Cup in 2008.
Euro 2012 runs from June 8 through July 1. Russia will face the Czech Republic, Poland and Greece in the group stage.