Hiddink’s agent: Anzhi stars felt Krasnozhan was a very old-fashioned coach

Anzhi head coach Guus Hiddink’s agents Cees van Nieuwenhuizen claims the club’s former coach Yury Krasnozhan got sacked after the star players at the club complained his methods were old-fashioned and outdated.

«Your client was close to signing in December, but the deal fell through, why?»

«There was a different executive director at the club, with different ideas. He didn’t think Anzhi needed a strong youth system, so Guus lost interest. But he is no longer at the club, so Kerimov got in touch with us again, through his representative German Tkachenko, and made us an offer, which Guus accepted.»

«Why did Hiddink not take up other offers, which were surely flooding in in December?»

«Yes, it’s true that we had other offers. One from England…»

«Chelsea?»

«No comments. Clubs from Mexico, China and Quatar wanted Guus’s services. But Anzhi’s project was the most challenging and exciting.»

«What is Hiddink’s relationship with Anzhi leaders Eto’o and Roberto Carlos?»

«He knows Roberto from his days in Real, the Brazilian called him and literally begged: ‘Please, Guus, come and help us!’ Apparently, the players went to speak to Kerimov, and told him the Russian coach’s methods were old-fashioned. I suspect that was the reason behind his departure,» van Nieuwenhuizen told Sovetsky sport.