RT: You have five matches remaining in the qualification campaign, one of them of course to Germany at home. But this match coming up on Wednesday against Finland, do you think this is really the crucial match? Because if you win – you’re really in the battle with Germany for top sport, but lose – you’re probably going to have to play for second place in the group with the Finns and go for the World Cup for the play-off perhaps.

GH: Yeah, that’s true. So we must at this moment just before Finland not think too much of the game against Germany because if you think too far ahead you might stumble in the next step which we don’t want to do. But you’re right when you say we have to make a good result. Because then Finland is dropping also to a lower place. And then we can of course go for the battle in September. We must not drop too many points before we meet Germany. That’s key.

RT: Finland – you beat them easily at the Lokomotiv Stadium 3-0. But you must be expecting a very different Finnish side this time around in Helsinki?

GH: Yeah, for sure, absolutely. Because when we remember that game, we played a good game. We scored once ourselves, but we forced them and it was good what the team did. We forced them to panic and then make two own goals. But I think we can expect a totally different Finland. Because they fight for their last, more or less last chance to be still in charge. And they will of course desperately want their revenge for the 3-0 defeat. So we have to go there and expect a very competitive Finland. And they have made some very good results in the past at home.

RT: Given Helsinki’s proximity to Russia, and especially St. Petersburg, you’re probably going to have a massive army of Russian supporters coming over to Helsinki to cheer your men, it will certainly help as well?

GH: Of course, we hope and we think and we hope that they get a lot of support. We cannot complain when we play abroad about the Russian support, which is tremendous. And we have seen that also at the last game when we played Azerbaijan at home that unexpected crowd was showing up and that’s saying a lot about the popularity of the Russian team. And we hope to see a lot of Russian supporters in Helsinki.

RT: Hasn’t it been a bit surprising for you in some respect the amount of supporters that now come to Russia’s matches? I remember watching Russia played Brazil when your colleague Alexander Borodyuk was in charge. And against Brazil, one of the best football teams in the world, the Lokomotiv Stadium wasn’t even full. Now, Russia playing against Azerbaijan, who are not really one of the best teams of the world, are packing such 65 or 75 thousand-seater stadiums as Luzhniki.

GH: Yeah, that’s amazing, and that’s also a reflection when the team is committing themselves and they go and fight and try to play a good game with the very adventurous players then people recognize that and they show their appreciation and they show up at the stadium which we would like to thank very much. First of all it’s always the team which must take the initiative to be very committed and with quality in the team. Then people are coming. If you say that Brazil against Russia Lokomotiv wasn’t full, then maybe another time, another period for the year. And that’s hopefully when we get our next home game, apparently maybe Argentina in August. I hope to see also a full stadium in Loko.

RT: Russia – obviously helped by your performance in the Euros – really came up the world rankings, from being sort round the twentieth position to the top ten. That must give you lots of pleasure as head coach, to see Russia performing so well.

GH: Yes, of course. It's not very key, but it shows that Russian football recently has gathered its points in tournaments and in friendly games etc, so you climb up on that ranking, which is recognized by the world and that's good. It gives a lot of confidence to Russia, to the football, and I think we have to use this momentum. Also we hope to go forward, even many years ahead, to the World Cup in Russia, which would give also tremendous input and tremendous acceleration of development of Russian football. That would be perfect for the upcoming years.

RT: We'll come to the World Cup in Russia in 2018 a little bit later. What I wanted to ask you about was in 2008, Russia exceeded all expectations of European championship getting to the semifinals. Two years on, if you qualify, you would have a pretty much the same group of players, but a lot more experience. Do you think that the Russian team now is perhaps in a better position than it was two years ago?

GH: Well, it's always good to gather more experience. The players, they have had that tournament, plus many players are now playing Champions League and high-level UEFA, so they gather more and more experience, although a little bit less experienced team did very well in the Euro. You cannot predict everything, but it’s always good when a team is not scared to play big tournaments, but first of all, it’s too far for me now to think of that. I like to be always very realistic and do first steps first.

RT: Remember when England were playing Russia in the European qualifiers, one of the England players was asked to name any player from the Russian national team and couldn’t name a single player. In that respect, you had a surprise factor, but now the surprise factor's gone, obviously because of your performance in the Euros. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

GH: It's a good thing. When I was working recently in England in Chelsea, all the Chelsea players, they know almost all the Russian players, which is a good thing for me and for them as well. It means that Russia is now recognized and known outside Russia as well. That's important. If they recognize that, that must give a lot of confidence to the boys as well.

RT: Going to your time at Chelsea – did you enjoy it?

GH: Yeah, very much. From the first day of the first week, we had to get used a little bit for the first three-four days. From there on, we won the first game, which was important. Then, from there on, there were many many good results. We had just one defeat. In the Premier League, we had very good results. In the Champions League, we had very good results. And the UEFA Cup, of course, everyone knows, was a big result. So I enjoyed it very much from the first until last minute.

RT: How difficult was it taking over at first? You’re inheriting a completely new group of players, haven’t got any time to, perhaps, bring the fitness levels up. Diving straight in.

GH: Yeah, I didn’t want to have time to get used to each other and I said to the squad as well – “Hey, you are big name players. You are big star players. You have the experience of Champion League, of tough Premier League. You have experience of European World Championship. So, from first day, we don’t give each other – and I don’t give you excuses to get used to my way of working.” They responded very well. From the first day we’ve had rather tough trainings and they responded very well by winning the first game. It was important against Aston Villa, where they haven’t won for many, many years. So, the players got this confidence, they got a little bit more physical fitness. And from there on the team started to feel that they are very difficult to beat. And that was key. It was a group who could play good football, but on top of that they had this mentality: “It’s difficult to win. We are the winners.”

RT: Sure, but you’ve been in coaching for over 20 years all over the world. How nice is it for you when you have got people like John Terry and Michael Ballack begging you to stay on as head-coach of Chelsea?

GH: It’s good to hear. It’s good to hear when Lampard, John Terry and other players, they ask: “Mister, please stay. Boss, please stay.” But I knew beforehand and they knew also that at the end of May it would be over because I am fully committed to the Russian job. Now I’m back and I love to be back and work with the boys now. I enjoy it very much. But it’s good when you are kind of inter-managing. Normally they say – do this job for three months, four months and then it’s over. But there was more. There was more. And I felt a lot of recognition by the players. We worked hard. I challenged them and they responded. There was a lot of recognition by the public, which is used to having good victories and cups, etc. So, it was for me a very good time to be there.

RT: There’s been some time since you’ve actually coached a club. The last time I believe it was PSV, combining the national role of Australia, I think. Was it nice coaching again a club?

GH: It’s very attractive. I know it. I know how to manage and how to coach and how to train a national team, but club level is – yeah, you are committed every day, you have your influence everyday. You can have a little bit more influence because you have more time to practice although the program is very, very tight in England. But with national team you have a little bit less time to have a lot of influence. That’s why it’s good when players are coming back now in national teams. They recognize what’s the principle and the values are when you are in the national team. First day is always a little bit… to meet each other again. Second day as we have had players, they respond – the Russian players respond perfectly to what we want.

RT: Could you ever see yourself going back to Chelsea?

GH: Well, I am not young anymore and I cannot predict my future. But as long as I feel energetic and as long as I get back from players – whether it’s the Russian players or other players – yeah, then I cannot predict my future. It’s impossible. Ten years ago or eight years ago when I was in Spain, I said – maybe I do one or two years more and then I do something different in sports or in football. That was kind of a promise, I said. But I couldn’t live up to that promise. So, I won’t do it anymore to say – “hey, maybe I stop or I go on.” A lot of things can happen in football in short time.

RT: So, a few more questions about Chelsea. The semi-final of the Champion League against Barcelona – your team was hounded in the press, especially after the leg in Neu Camp, when you got a nil-all draw. But actually you kept Barcelona at bay without scoring for essentially 180 minutes, and then Iniesta scoring in the last minute of the second leg. And really, you actually have to look in the final, when they took Manchester United apart to see what a great performance it was by Chelsea.

GH: Yeah, when you have seen the final – it was not the big dream final many people expected and wanted. That final showed once more that Chelsea in those two legs did a terrific job. In the outcome, we could defend very well. I would’ve liked to have some more initiatives. But if you are opening yourself too much, in the outcome, I guess Barcelona, they punish you with four or five goals. That’s what we didn’t want. We didn’t want to expose ourselves. But we could’ve taken a little bit more initiatives, which we did in the second leg instead of a bridge. We were tactically very clever and we created a few chances as well. We did not materialize them and that’s a pity. That’s why one of the reasons why we didn’t go through to the final. But you’ve seen the final. Manchester was not doing well against Barcelona.

RT: When that Iniesta’s goal went in the stoppage time – was it one of your worst moments in football, as a head-coach?

GH: Yes, I think so. I think so. Because we controlled the game. They were not very dangerous. And then you get in at the last minute – there is goal. Yeah, that’s very painful. That’s true, yeah.

RT: I mean, could you perhaps condoned, dropped his actions after the final whistle went?

GH: No. If you have been a sportsman…And of course he apologized for a little bit overreacting on camera. But I can understand those feelings because it was not just that he should have scored one or twice in the two legs, but it was more also the anger, which came out after the game, because the whole team and many more people – they felt a lot of injustice done in that game. And there it came from. And then I can understand the reaction – although you must try to control – and when people are overreacting and they apologize afterwards, they really understand sports and the emotion of sports. And they will understand also, even if you are a big authority within UEFA.

RT: When you took over the Chelsea job, you said you would only take over Chelsea because it was a favor for a friend of yours, Roman Abramovich. What’s it like to work with Abramovich? What kind of person is he, connected with Chelsea Football Club, as a chairman?

GH: Well, at the time when Chelsea was fading away and dropping a little bit in position in the Premier league, they were fighting for… or slipping away towards fifth or sixth position. Aston Villa was doing very well. Then he asked me if I could help him for the rest of the season. And because of his request and because of his relation, his tremendous support of Russian football – he helps out the federation, he helps out the NUF and he helps out a lot in Russian football. That was the main reason. I said – ok, I will do it and will try to get into the positions for Champion League. He never talked about… For instance, there was no pressure “hey, can you in stay in Chelsea after the season?” He never touched that issue because he knew – and he has responsibility towards Chelsea but also to Russian football – that it was not a discussion. And that’s why I respected him very much. He is very committed to Russian football, of course – with Chelsea. And I respected very much that there was no moment of pressure towards me. It’s nice to work with him.

RT: Moving from West London to parts of North London, one of your star players Andrey Arshavin joined Arsenal after the turn of the year. You must have been really impressed with the start he’s made.

GH: Yeah, I’m very pleased with the way he came in into the Premier League. Before I went to Chelsea I had a long talk with Wenger about Arshavin. He asked me some information about that. And yeah, I could recommend him because basically Arshavin has a big personality, he has a good confidence, he is a very good player, a very smart player. But also what is key, I think, is that his will to have success in England. And, with a big personality, makes him integrate easily. And that’s what he did almost from the first day in Arsenal.

RT: Arshavin, when he joined Arsenal and when he’s finished the season, he’s been basically playing for over a year without a break. That will take a toll on almost any player. Do you think we’ll see a lot more and perhaps better things from Andrey next season?

GH: Well, he had some days off as well when he was… No, I think he can play on. He will get fitter and fitter playing in the Premier League. He will get more experience in that tough League and I think when you are staying on this level where he is already now – one of the big players and recognized big players in England – then he will have the same performance next season or even better.

RT: After a bright start to his top-man career under Juande Ramos, Roman Pavlyuchenko faded away a bit under Harry Redknapp. Are you disappointed about that and how’s Roman ranked it himself?

GH: Yeah, I am a bit disappointed because he is not playing frequently. He’s coming in for 10 minutes, or he played once in the recent weeks for 16 minutes. That’s not enough. He is a big player. He is a talented player and I talk every now and then with him. When you want to have your success in England, you have to invest a lot. And I think he understands now that he has to adapt himself to the life, to the language, but also in his fight for getting back his first position in the squad. And that’s… he has to react now by fighting back and showing the manager that he is able to be number one, in the front position. That’s up to him. It’s up to him to go on fighting and showing that he also has a lot of talent. But talent must be based on a big desire and a big will to play.

RT: Well, another Russian who might be moving to London quite soon is Yury Zhirkov, to Chelsea. What could you say about that, if you know anything?

GH: No, I’m not involved in Chelsea’s future for next season. There were some rumors. That’s not up to me to talk a lot about that. The only thing I know that Russian players are now known over the world, also in Premier League, of course. And some players, and Yury Zhirkov is a beautiful player, very gifted, very talented. And he can play in the main leagues in Europe. But it’s not up to me to make any other comment than that he is big, big player.

RT: You may have been a bit surprised that only Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko have been snapped up out of the Russian League at the moment, whereas Zhirkov and Akinfeev, very talented players, haven’t been snapped up by top clubs around Europe?

GH: Yeah, but players are known now since Euro more and more, and then people in big clubs, they follow them and they have to show consistency, which is important. You can have one game, very beautiful, and another game slip or fade away. I think they are followed, of course. And yeah, you mentioned the two, Zhirkov and Akinfeev. Akifeev for me is also one of the best goalies in the world. Very athletic, very smart, can play football and a big personality. And that’s what clubs and people are looking for. And he’s doing well in CSKA. I think he’s one of the key players for CSKA as well. I don’t know what his future is. It’s not up to me to talk about that.

RT: Andrey Arshavin is the undoubted star of the Russian team at the moment. Which of the upcoming generation have really caught your eye?

GH: Well, I don’t want to talk a lot about young upcoming players because then we focus too much. And I think also we must have some patience with some young players, as well. There are some talented players, but when they once come into the first team or into the first league in Russia, then in the beginning it’s going very well. And then automatically it’s a normal reaction that they’ll drop away a bit. But then, at the moment we have to help them out and give them a lot of confidence. And work hard with them, demand a lot from them, because it’s not easy when you’re coming into Russia and people recognize your talent, then you must be very, very strong as a personality. Because when many people say, “Hey, you’re big player, you’re a talent, etc.” there’s a little bit sometimes that depends on the person the tendency to set back and play a little bit laid back. And nowadays in modern football, if you want to survive in Russian league, but also in even bigger leagues, you must fight and you must know that you have to improve almost every year. And you must be very, very fit. You must be an athlete in nowadays football. And then you have your skill. If you don’t invest in yourself, you can have as many talents as you are gifted, by nature, but you have to use your talent on the basis of very athletic performance.

RT: I want to move on to the 2018 World Cup which Russia hopes to host. How big a boost for Russia would it be if they manage to win the rights to host the Cup?

GH: I think it will be a big boost for football, but also outside the football in the infrastructure. I think then we have to build the stadiums and so forth. What’s coming, rest of the infrastructure. It will give a big boost to the country. We’ve seen in other countries in the past. It will give a big boost and then we are obliged to modernize our accommodation, which is needed. I think even ourselves, the federation, sometimes I feel a little bit embarrassed when we don’t have our own installation. It doesn’t have to be big. And some installations are already available and that’s what sometimes frustrates me that we are not able to create our own national federation. When smaller countries, for instance Hungary, they can do those things. That frustrates me a bit. So if we can get the hosting of the World Cup, it would be a tremendous impulse, an input to the infrastructure and Russian football.

RT: Would you be interested in, perhaps, playing some sort of ambassadorial role?

GH: Well, I love to be in Russia and I’ve worked, I’m working now with a lot of joy, trying to overcome some problems, to fight, to get it better and better. That’s normal. So, yeah, I love to be here and what I can contribute for the best of Russian football, I’m willing to do so.

RT: I mean, realistically, do you think Russia has got a hope of hosting this 2018 World Cup? Logistically, you’d think it will be hosted in Europe, given that you’d be up against Spain and England. Both countries have fantastic infrastructure, whereas Russia only has one stadium at the moment – the Luzhniki stadium.

GH: Yeah, but that’s also from FIFA and UEFA, but FIFA in this case, they, I suppose, they look also to the countries who have to develop themselves in the infrastructure. And you mentioned Spain, you mentioned England. They have a good infrastructure and they have already a very dominant football, already for many, many decades. But I think FIFA is also looking to develop football in countries that are upcoming. Russia is an upcoming football nation. And to stimulate that FIFA is doing a lot. You see that in South Africa, they go to South Africa. A few years ago UEFA went to Portugal, which was also a country which has to be improved a lot with a support from everyone. So FIFA is looking also to, not just establish countries already, but also upcoming countries. And I think this is very good policy to do so.

RT: Do you enjoy living in Russia?

GH: Yeah, very much, very much. Yeah, I like the people, I know the people, people know me now. When I’m going into the street I meet people and I enjoy life very much in Russia, yeah.

RT: Can you say something in Russian?

GH: That is difficult, then I start to stumble, my tongue is going double. I know some Russian, but it’s okay like this. It’s difficult to do so but I can understand a bit.

RT: You speak four languages fluently. Is Russian, by far, the hardest task you’ve had?

GH: It’s a beautiful language. If you hear the sound of the language, it’s beautiful. I like to listen. I can read the papers, so it’s not a big problem. I don’t know quite everything what is written, but when I have a conversation in between some Russians, I can pick up some words and I can follow what it’s all about. But the sound of the language is beautiful.

RT: I mean, do you know your borsch from your blinys?

GH: Yeah, that’s the usual stuff, yeah.

RT: After the match with Finland, you have a break now till September. Will you be during this time in Russia or will you spend it in the Netherlands?

GH: I will travel a bit, because at the end of the month I have to travel a bit to Asia. But also, of course, I will follow a lot of games during the weekends in Russia, of course.

RT: You’ve had a lot of players throughout your coaching career. Who’d you say is the best player you ever worked with?

GH: Well, that’s difficult to say because you must distinguish the positions. I’ve worked with world stars like Romario, Beckham, Kluivert, Raúl, Mijatovic, big, big players. And also now in England recently with Anelka, Drogba, you mentioned some. But they are in those positions when everyone is focused on and everyone likes to see them. But for me also there are a lot of other players who are world star players, who are playing in mid-field or playing in defense, who are very, very important for a team. And that’s key. And when I worked in Spain, I had to deal with a lot of joy with Hierro. Fernando Hierro was one of the big players. Sanchez was one of the big players. Redondo, the mid-field player, was one of the big players. In my Dutch period we had beautiful midfield players and some beautiful defense players. And now in England with Lampard in midfield, Terry… And the goalie in Holland. Those are also very key players. So for me there is no one particular player. Everyone is saying Romario. Of course, Romario is one of the best in the world ever. But those Romarios, they cannot perform if they have not, and you have to think of it as a coach, if they have not the service of midfield or defense.

RT: Which player did you have the most enjoyment out of seeing?

GH: The most enjoyment? Well, I enjoyed very much how Beckham was playing. Romario, of course, in that time. But I enjoy very much how Arshavin can play. If he’s on top, he can play a terrific game. I enjoy it very much when I see Akinfeev doing the things he can do. So with every player I work with, with some key players or most of the key players I enjoyed very much working with them.

RT: Guus, thank ever you so much for taking your time to speak to us. Best of luck.

GH: Thank you. It was a pleasure.