Spain do Turkey a favor in third-place race
While Spain beat Ukraine 1-0 in their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying group, they contributed to Turkey being the best third-placed team that will qualify automatically and avoid the play-offs
Turkey played against Iceland yesterday, eyeing the other matches as of press time after Spain claimed a narrow victory in Kyiv thanks to debutant Mario Gaspar on Monday night. Because the best third-placed team will qualify automatically and avoid the play-offs, Spain inadvertently helped Turkey. While eight of the nine teams finishing third in their Euro 2016 qualifying group will enter Sunday's play-off draw, the other will be assured of an automatic ticket to France.
Joining the hosts and the top two in each group will be the third-placed side with the best record against the nation's first, second, fourth and fifth in their section. The third-placed sides in all the other sections that will definitely go into the play-offs so far are Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and Denmark.
England became only the sixth side to complete Euro qualifying with a 100 percent record. Russia and Slovakia are two other teams that qualified for the finals.
But Russia's success is especially noteworthy thanks to their "zero cost" coach Leonid Slutski after costly coach Fabio Capello's departure. Slutski has transformed Russia's fortunes in little over a month. Appointed for the remainder of Russia's qualification campaign, Slutski has not signed a contract to continue in the post vacated by Capello in July, but he can expect a phone call pretty soon to check his availability for next summer. Considering Fabio Capello's 7 million euro annual salary, Slutsky took Russia to seventh heaven for free.
When the CSKA Moscow coach led the national side into last month's qualifiers, Russia's participation at Euro 2016 was anything but a certainty. Four points adrift of Sweden in second, they had it all to do. Fast-forward five weeks, and with four successive wins under the belt and Russia are France-bound. They have scored 12 goals, conceding just one in the process.
Attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev knows more than a thing or two about playing under Slutski, his coach for club and now country. He had nothing but praise for the 44-year-old, who took the reins on Aug. 7. "He did not have a lot of time, but in that short period he managed to get a lot done and this is reflected in the results. He showed what a good coach he is," Dzagoev said.
Russia had not had a Russian-speaking head coach since March 2006, when Aleksandr Borodyuk took temporary charge of a friendly with Brazil. Captain Roman Shirokov, who earned his 50th cap in Monday's 2-0 qualification-clinching victory over Montenegro, reckons the lack of a language barrier helps relax the players. The Spartak Moskow midfielder says Slutski won over the dressing room.
"The most important thing is that the atmosphere changed," Shirokov explained. "He made some changes in the way we play and he added certain things. We have started to attack more, but we are also more balanced. We have a more positive outlook, which is just what we needed."
Artem Dzyuba has certainly thrived. The Zenit forward managed two goals in his first four Group G outings, then added six in his next four under Slutski - his total of eight is the most a Russian has scored in qualifying for a major tournament. "Leonid makes the most of his players' best qualities and does not ask them to do things they cannot do," said Dzagoev.
Joining the hosts and the top two in each group will be the third-placed side with the best record against the nation's first, second, fourth and fifth in their section. The third-placed sides in all the other sections that will definitely go into the play-offs so far are Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and Denmark.
England became only the sixth side to complete Euro qualifying with a 100 percent record. Russia and Slovakia are two other teams that qualified for the finals.
But Russia's success is especially noteworthy thanks to their "zero cost" coach Leonid Slutski after costly coach Fabio Capello's departure. Slutski has transformed Russia's fortunes in little over a month. Appointed for the remainder of Russia's qualification campaign, Slutski has not signed a contract to continue in the post vacated by Capello in July, but he can expect a phone call pretty soon to check his availability for next summer. Considering Fabio Capello's 7 million euro annual salary, Slutsky took Russia to seventh heaven for free.
When the CSKA Moscow coach led the national side into last month's qualifiers, Russia's participation at Euro 2016 was anything but a certainty. Four points adrift of Sweden in second, they had it all to do. Fast-forward five weeks, and with four successive wins under the belt and Russia are France-bound. They have scored 12 goals, conceding just one in the process.
Attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoev knows more than a thing or two about playing under Slutski, his coach for club and now country. He had nothing but praise for the 44-year-old, who took the reins on Aug. 7. "He did not have a lot of time, but in that short period he managed to get a lot done and this is reflected in the results. He showed what a good coach he is," Dzagoev said.
Russia had not had a Russian-speaking head coach since March 2006, when Aleksandr Borodyuk took temporary charge of a friendly with Brazil. Captain Roman Shirokov, who earned his 50th cap in Monday's 2-0 qualification-clinching victory over Montenegro, reckons the lack of a language barrier helps relax the players. The Spartak Moskow midfielder says Slutski won over the dressing room.
"The most important thing is that the atmosphere changed," Shirokov explained. "He made some changes in the way we play and he added certain things. We have started to attack more, but we are also more balanced. We have a more positive outlook, which is just what we needed."
Artem Dzyuba has certainly thrived. The Zenit forward managed two goals in his first four Group G outings, then added six in his next four under Slutski - his total of eight is the most a Russian has scored in qualifying for a major tournament. "Leonid makes the most of his players' best qualities and does not ask them to do things they cannot do," said Dzagoev.
Last Update: October 13, 2015 22:53