Russia names Capello coach

 

The Russian Football Union on Monday appointed Italian coach Fabio Capello as new national manager to revive the flagging fortunes of the team after its flop at Euro 2012.

“Today we decided to appoint Capello as our national team’s new manager,” the RFU deputy president Nikita Simonyan told ITAR-TASS news agency. “We expect him to come to Moscow in the nearest future to finalise the details of his contract and sign it.”

“I think this will happen on Wednesday or Thursday,” added Simonyan, who is acting chief of the RFU after the ruling body’s previous head Sergei Fursenko resigned last month.

Capello said he was happy and proud to take over Russia’s national side.

“I’m happy and proud,” Capello was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.

“And I’ll be happy if my work with the Russian team will go right way. The co-operation with this team is a great challenge for me as Russia is a great country.”

Financial details have not been disclosed but the Sport Express daily reported last week that Capello had been offered an annual salary of up to seven million euros ($8.5m).

The 66-year-old Capello will be the immediate successor to Dutchman Dick Advocaat whose side were disappointingly knocked out of the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine at the group stages.