Even Guus Hiddink admitted he was astonished by the turn of events that led to Russia qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008™. Their Group E campaign looked to have ended in disappointment with the defeat in Israel, but Croatia's victory at Wembley four days later coupled with Russia's win in Andorra sent Hiddink's side through at England's expense.
Russia's brilliant quarter-final victory against the Netherlands on Saturday was the latest triumph of Hiddink's nomadic international career, during which his native Netherlands, Korea Republic and Australia have also benefited from his magic touch. The man dubbed 'the wizard' in the Russian press left an indelible mark on the country's football landscape just by reaching these finals, taking his side to the semi-finals is more than many, excluding of course the man himself, expected. After qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008™, euro2008.com talked to the key figures who have worked with the coach since his appointment in April 2006 to discover the secret of Hiddink's success. The answers they gave then still hold true today.
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