JUNE 20, STADE MUNICIPAL TOULOUSE, 8PM
WE can debate the pros and cons of what will happen at Euro 2016 until the cows come home, but three things can be said for certain. The tournament starts on June 10, the final is on July 10... and Russia’s Leonid Slutsky will be the only manager not to be paid for his efforts in getting his country into the finals. In the multi-million pound world of modern-day football, Slutsky is something of an anomaly, a throwback almost to the amateur era. Paul Abbandonato Head of Sport
The CSKA Moscow title-winning boss was asked to take over a Russian national team in crisis almost two thirds of the way through qualifying.
Under Fabio Capello, who was on a reputed £7m a year and received an £11m pay off, Russia had won two from six and their hopes of reaching France seemed well and truly over.
Capello was meant to be the highprofile boss who led Russia into their own World Cup in 2018.
He didn’t even last Euro qualifying. As a last throw of the dice, the Russian Federation turned to Slutsky in a desperate effort to revive the team. He would only do the job parttime and wouldn’t be paid as wage, but rather work on performance bonuses. Where Russia had failed dramatica l ly under Capello, they soared under Slutsky as four wins out of four saw them eclipse Zlatan ibrahimovic’s Sweden for second place behind Austria and automatic qualification.
A 1-0 triumph over Sweden in Moscow was key to the success, but it was followed by other victories over Liechtenstein (7-0), Moldova (2-1) and Montenegro (2-0).
Slutsky continues to combine his two roles with club and country, but at the end of the Euros must decide which of the two jobs he wishes to have.
With Russia hosting the World Cup, bossing the national team over the next two years may prove irresistible to Slutsky, but much will hinge on how his team get on in Group B.
Russia have an ageing side, particularly in defence, and the likes of Gareth Bale and Jamie Vardy must be licking their lips at the prospect of running straight at CSKA veterans Sergei Ignashevic and Vasili Berezutksi.
Their main goal threat will come from striker Artem Dzyuba, whose eight goals in qualifying was only bettered by the stellar clutch of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Ibrahimovic.
Dzyuba is an imposing 6ft 5in frontman, but after being controversially overlooked at the World Cup by Capello he has flourished and has been tipped as the next big thing to come out of Russian football.
But they will miss the injured Denis Cheryshev, Gareth Bale’s team-mate at Real Madrid, who would have offered the flair an invention needed to supplement Russia’s traditional power approach. Midfield colleague Alan Dzagoev is also out.
Expectations are low in Russia, with few predicting they can get beyond the last 16.
Wales have history against them, not least with that infamous Millennium Stadium play-off for Euro 2004.
We have waited 12 years for a proper crack at revenge. June 20, the date of the final group game, could be the day Wales finally will be laughing last.