The coach of Russia's national football team, Italian national Fabio Capello, has vowed to stick with the team until Russia hosts the next World Cup in 2018, despite this year's disappointing performance in Brazil.
Capello, 68, who Russia pays a cool $11.2 million a year, has faced numerous calls to resign but says he continues to enjoy the confidence of the country’s football union.
"I see that I am trusted. If [the country's football authorities] stop believing in me, I will immediately resign. I am a serious person. I respect my work, and I respect other people," Capello said at a news conference Tuesday.
"The end goal is the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It is necessary to create a national team that will perform with pride. Therefore, we must qualify for the European Championship in 2016. These are the two main goals," Capello said, ITAR-Tass reported.
But Capello, who has served as Russia's top coach for the past two years, also spoke candidly about his team's dismal performance at the last World Cup, which ended earlier this month.
"The current world championship was marked by its high speed and aggressiveness. … In Russian football, nobody is used to playing at such speeds, and that has created problems."
See also:
Politician Calls Upon Capello to Return Salary After Russia's World Cup Fail
