The Russian national team's dismal performance against Romania on Wednesday proved why the team's qualification for this summer's Euro 2008 was met with only cautious optimism. This team is routinely described as energetic and talented, but still subject to very fair criticism that it is simply too undisciplined and young.
In its 3-0 loss at Steaua Stadium in Bucharest, the Russian team demonstrated all the problems you'd expect from an undisciplined bunch. They were unable to create or sustain anything on offense, and were scatterbrained on defense. When they had the ball, they failed to get a single decent shot on goal. Without the ball, they clumped together and let Romanian attackers wander around in front of their goal unmarked.
Credit is due Romania, a better side than is often acknowledged. Unfortunately, they seem doomed to reflect some of the turmoil in Romanian domestic football of late. Recent weeks have seen outbreaks of hooliganism (a recent match called because of a referee hit by a lighter), and some ill-mannered play (club CFJ Cluj threatening to walk off the field after disputing a call). Even worse for the national team, the luck of the draw placed them in a terrifying group this summer along with France, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The Russian side's disturbing loss is something of a slap of cold water on the face as Russia experiences a serious bout of football fever as the 2008 domestic season gets underway. Teams as varied as Rubin Kazan and Dinamo Moscow have picked up high-priced transfers, Zenit St. Petersburg is in the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, and the Champions League final will be held at Luzhniki this May
Last fall's qualification for Euro 2008 perhaps started this round of optimism, but even the most enthusiastic supporters had to admit that Russia's prospects of going deep in this summer's tournament are slim. After their stunning victory against England at Luzhniki Stadium in October, the team appeared to be real contenders. But that was followed a month later by an avoidable 2-1 loss at Israel seemed to put them out of the hunt, save for England's own epic incompetence in losing to Croatia at Wembley Stadium, when a group of the world's top players panicked like a gang of schoolboys.
Even as that match was in progress, with England doing its best to hand Russia its tickets to Austria and Switzerland this summer, Russia was limping to a monstrously unimpressive 1-0 win at Andorra, in a match that appeared to be played in a parking lot. Russia only barely eked out a win and the frustration of the day showed clearly in Andrei Arshavin's late, stupid red card, which kept the Zenit midfielder home this week and out of the first two group matches this summer.
On Monday, Russia coach Guus Hiddink finally signed a long-awaited contract to coach the team through the 2010 World Cup (see related story). He has a proven record of inspiring young players to play beyond reasonable expectations - consider his work with the South Korean team that finished in fourth place in the 2002 World Cup.
He'll have plenty of time to see just what he can do with this Russia side, and if he'll become the first Russia manager to lead his team out of the group stage of a major tournament since the Soviet Union collapsed.
But he has his work cut out for him before they line up against Spain in the European Championships June 10. The team will have a few more tune-up friendlies against Kazakhstan, Serbia and Lithuania, and if things don't improve there will be cause for concern. The team needs to get ready without stoking unwarranted expectations. One would think that the heart-stopping way they got to Austria would teach them modesty. But to find a way to teach them maturity and patience is a much harder task.
By Christopher Marcisz
