By Duncan Mackay
December 21 – Sergei Kapkov, a close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who had been expected to run to become the new President of the Russian Football Association has ruled himself out of the job which could alert clubs chasing the country’s coach Guus Hiddink (pictured).
Kapkov is the head of Abramovich’s National Academy of Football (NAF), which pays the salary of Hiddink, who had a spell at Chelsea last season, guiding them to victory in the FA Cup.
He had been the favourite to replace Vitaly Mutko after the Russian Sports Minister had been forced to step down following a directive from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who decreed that all Government officials in-charge of various national sports bodies should be replaced by professional officials.
But Kapkov has now said that he will not be standing in the election in February.
He said: ”People have asked me not to run [for President].
“I respect them and therefore I will not run.”
It leaves the favourite as Sergei Fursenko, the former President of Zenit St Petersburg and a close ally of Vladimir Putin.
Fursenko, 60, is is the chairman of Lentransgaz, a Gazprom subsidiary and brother Andrei, is Russia’s Minister of Education and Science and is close to Putin, who is now the Prime Minister.
But Kapkov’s decision not to stand could have serious repercussions for Hiddink, who is waiting until the result of the election before deciding whether to stay on as Russian coach.
He is close to Kapkov, who has insisted that the NAF is prepared to continue to pay Hiddink’s salary despite the Dutchman’s failure to steer Russia to next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
Kapkov said: ”All our projects are in place.
“Hiddink has already been paid for November and will be paid in the near future for December.
“Then we’ll see.
“When Guus went to work at Chelsea we agreed with Mutko that we would finance Hiddink’s contract for the cycle of his time with Russia.
“If required, we will continue to fund the contract.”
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Releated stories
November 2009: Former Zenit President emerges a contender to replace Mutko
November 2009: Mutko set to be replaced as head of Russian FA by Abramovich deputy