Football
Zhirkov spoke about Hiddink’s decision to make him a defender at Euro 2008
Photo: © RIA Novosti / Anton Denisov
Former Russian national team player Yuri Zhirkov admitted that it was hard for him to change to the left-back position at the 2008 European Championship.
– At Euro 2008, he was rebuilt from the position of left midfielder to left back. It was a difficult situation – it was very difficult. As Hiddink convinced that it is necessary? If they put in the national team, then you have to play where they put you. That’s how I perceived it. At what point did you realize what was happening? I would not say that it worked: I ran normally forward, but it was always hard to go back. This is how it is at the retro match: it seems to be running forward, but it’s already hard to go back,” Zhirkov told the “Championship”.
At the 2008 European Championships, the Russian team won bronze, losing in the semi-final to Spain (0:3).
Source: Sportbox
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