Football: Hiddink hopes for a 'royal' birthday gift

08 November, 2007, 12:44

Russian football manager Guus Hiddink turns 61 on November 8. The man nicknamed ‘the King’ is hoping for a “royal” gift from his team.

Currently the coach is hoping to achieve success with the Russia team, which has one foot in the qualifying door to the Euro-2008 finals, after beating England in Moscow on October 17.

So Hiddink would settle for a belated birthday present – maybe around the November 17.

That’s when Russia meet Israel in a crucial Euro-2008 qualifier. They then take on Andorra three days later, knowing that victory in both games would ensure them a place in the finals next year.

Already in his career Guus Hiddink has won six Dutch league titles with PSV Eindhoven and has had notable successes with the Dutch, South Korean and Australian national teams.