 Holland,
Russia Euro 2008
Odds
Holland Euro 2008
odds of winning
outright sat at 3/1
Saturday morning.
On Saturday they
would be meeting a
Russia team that has
thus far coasted
through the Euro
2008 quarter-finals
and - at press time
- were listed with
the longest odds of
any remaining team
still standing (12/1
at Sportingbet).
Russia plays Holland
Saturday after an
easy 2-0 win over
Sweden. Russia
had been at 33/1
odds coming into
June. Holland
was among the
favorites but at
longer 10/1 odds.
Guus Hiddink
maintained his
outstanding record
of taking national
teams out of the
qualifying group to
lead Russia into the
quarter-finals of a
major tournament for
the first time,
writes John Ley of
the London Telegraph.
He did it with some
considerable style,
his team outplaying
Sweden - who needed
only a draw - with a
delightful approach
that served as a
warning to the teams
still here.
Guus Hiddink sounds
like a name that
would be guiding the
Holland team.
It is in fact
Hiddink's homeland
he will be facing on
Saturday.
He has agreed
verbally to two more
years with Russia
and is paid
handsomely, with
Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich
contributing to his
salary, regardless
of how much further
he can take Russia
in the Euro 2008.
With Russia among
the biggest long
shots, Hiddink has
already accomplished
an amazing feat.
Only Sweden, Turkey
(still alive),
Australia and Poland
had longer odds to
win the Euro 2008
heading into June.
Hiddink believes
attack will be the
best form of defence
against Holland.
He has urged his
team to go for the
jugular against his
fellow countrymen,
saying: 'What is
good for the game is
that teams who like
to attack from the
start are surviving.
'That is
encouraging, as we
can also see that
the concept of just
relying on your
defence, which of
course sometimes may
have to happen in a
game, has no profit
any more.
'People like to see
a more attacking
game. The Dutch like
to attack, to have
the initiative and
control, and be
dominant.
'But the Russian
team has changed a
lot, not just in
personnel but also
in the way we play.
We now try to
install the kind of
play where people
love to come and
watch us.
'We have made some
progress and we are
now meeting a giant.
But our approach
won't be different.'
Not surprisingly, a
Russia win against
the Dutch would
result in a generous
for punters with a
payout potential of
€15 for every €4 bet
compared to Holland
€3 for every €5 bet
(the initial wager
is returned in the
event Holland is
victorious). A
draw pays 11/4 odds
at
Sportingbet,
which has an added
incentive of 20 per
cent cash tacked
onto one's initial
deposit.
-----
Alistair Prescott,
Gambling911.com
Originally published
June 21, 2008 9:54
am EST
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