Gia Saralidze exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
“It was a difficult decision, but I told you that my mission in Anzhi could end when the club manges to develop and grow on its own, without me,” Hiddink noted. “The time has come. I am sure the club will have a great future; and I am happy to be a part of the wide-scale football project.” This is a sweet nothing from the diplomatic European specialist who has become used to finding beautiful phrases in awkward situations. The situation is really difficult for the famous coach. For a second season the leadership of the Makhachkala club has spent serious resources on well-known foreign and young talented Russian players, but the result is not outstanding. The awful end of the last season turned into bronze medals which didn’t allow Anzhi to get into the Champions League. In first two rounds of the Russian football championship of 2013-14 Anzhi got 1 point. Hiddink’s team had a draw with Lokomotiv (2:2) and was defeated by Dynamo (1:2).
Considering these facts, the resignation was no surprise for the football community. However, it is nonsense after the second round, especially with such a master as Guus Hiddink. Many of my colleagues didn’t hide their enthusiasm and malicious joy about the resignation. I insist that it is a loss for Russian football. I understand that Hiddink didn’t do his best in Makhachkala. Guus had problems in personal relations with players. He didn’t manage to build relationships between famous foreigners and local guys. There were football mistakes. However, Hiddink didn’t deserve to be given only two rounds for working with the team, even though the rounds were unsuccessful. Moreover, to dismiss a coach is simple, but to find an adequate (or Advocaat) replace for him is much more difficult. Today the general director of the club Aivaz Kazihamedov has presented a new coach to the players - René Meulensteen, who appeared in Anzhi ahead of the season and used to be an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at MU. The official website of Anzhi speaks about this. MU and Ferguson mean a lot in the football world, as well as working with him. But the 49-year-old Meulensteen has almost no experience of training a team on his own. And it would be difficult for him to start a career at Anzhi.
