PSV coach Guus Hiddink, right, and Russian federation head Vitaly Mutko hold the pennant of the Russian soccer federation, after Hiddink signed a contract in Moscow, Friday, April 14, 2006. Dutchman Guus Hiddink has signed a two-year contract to coach Russia's national soccer team for the next two years, the Russian soccer federation announced on Friday.
(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)
Hiddink signs 2-year contract with Russia
MOSCOW --Guus Hiddink has signed a two-year contract to coach Russia's national soccer team, the Russian soccer federation said Friday.
The 59-year-old Dutchman's contract, worth $2.4 million annually plus bonuses, goes through the 2008 European Championship and contains a two-year option.
Hiddink is coaching PSV Eindhoven of the Dutch league through this season and Australia through the World Cup. He coached the Netherlands to the 1998 World Cup semifinals and South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semifinals.
He will be the first foreigner to lead Russia's soccer team. Yuri Syomin resigned in November after Russia failed to qualify for the World Cup.
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