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2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

Russian football squad’s coach to continue work until 2018 World Cup

"We do see how devoted he is and the way he keeps contact with players, the course of their affairs, transfers and career," Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko said

© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

MOSCOW, July 5. /TASS/. Russian national football team’s Head Coach Stanislav Cherchesov will continue working in his current capacity preparing the squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Wednesday.

"The work with the Russian national team will continue," Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian Football Union (RFU), said on air of Rossiya-24 television channel.

Read also

Mexico knocks out Russia from FIFA Confederations Cup with 2-1 win in Kazan

Playing in Group A of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, the Russian national squad defeated New Zealand 2-0, then missed the victory against UEFA Champions Portugal (0-1) and finally lost to Mexico 1-2, failing to qualify for the next round.

"The team is gathering for a training session in September and we will see how other footballers play," Mutko said speaking about new players, who did not play in the recently hosted by Russia 2017 FIFA Confederation Cup matches.

"We have an enormous challenge ahead of us, which is a home championship and we need to play decently," he said.

"I have no claims whatsoever to work of the team’s head coach," Mutko stated. "We do see how devoted he is and the way he keeps contact with players, the course of their affairs, transfers and career."

"We do lack high-class footballers with huge experience and leaders capable of leading the team alone in difficult moments," the Russian deputy premier said. "We do have the potential, but some of the players did not fulfil it due to various reasons…"

Participants in the 2017 Confederations Cup were hosts Russia, 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions Germany, 2015 Copa America Champions Chile, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Champion Australia, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, 2016 UEFA Euro Cup champs Portugal, OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup victors New Zealand and 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Champion Cameroon.

The trophy of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup went to reigning World Champions Germany after they defeated the ambitious team from Chile 1-0 in the overtime of the tournament’s final match on July 2 in Saint Petersburg.

Read also

Russian Deputy PM rules out bonuses for national team after 2017 Confederations Cup mishap

Russia is now preparing to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup after winning the bid in Guatemala in December 2010. The victory came following a tight race against the bid from England, the joint bid from Portugal and Spain and the joint bid on behalf of Belgium and the Netherlands.

The country selected 11 host cities to be the venues for the matches of the 2018 World Cup and they are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.

The matches of the 2018 World Cup will be held between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums located in the 11 mentioned above cities across Russia. Two of the stadiums are located in the Russian capital.

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2018 World Cup in Russia FIFA 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

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