The Russian Football Union has announced a shortlist of names they will consider for the vacant Russia national team coach position.

 

Russia have been without a coach since Dick Advocaat left to join PSV Eindhoven after a disappointing Euro 2012 – and now the country’s footballing organisation has decided upon a list of people they will consider approaching.

 

Included in the list are former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, ex-England coach Fabio Capello, former Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola and current Athletic Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa.

 

The Russian Football Union released a statement which read: "The Russian Football Union has officially informed that the organisation plans to consult, in full compliance with the rules of FIFA and UEFA, the appointment of the head coach of Russian national team, with the following experts:

 

"Rafael Benitez, Anatoliy Byshovets, Marcelo Bielsa, Valery Gazzaev, Josep Guardiola, Fabio Capello, Andrei Kobelev, Yuri Krasnozhan, Marcello Lippi, Valery Nepomnyashchy, Nikolai Pisarev, Harry Redknapp and Yuri Semin."

 

Russia’s national team are facing a decisive period, with qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup due to start soon and the all-important 2018 World Cup, which the country will host, looming on the horizon.

 

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