After resigning from the Russian national team following the European Championships, coach Leonid Slutsky admitted that both he and the players critically evaluate their performance, and he compared his country's team to a recovering alcoholic.
The 45-year-old coach, speaking with sports.ru website, revealed that after the last failure against Wales, the team did not sleep all night, trying to figure out the reasons for the unsuccessful game. According to the coach, a unanimous conclusion was reached: "We are ** worthless."
In the European Championship, the Russians were eliminated already after the group stage, collecting only one point. Immediately after the tournament, Slutsky announced his resignation from the national team, and speaking with a journalist, he likened his team to a recovering alcoholic, saying that similar actions are necessary for the team.
"We sat until nine in the morning and talked about what happened. We all unanimously came to one phrase: "We are ** worthless." This is the reality we must accept, as it is a very important thing for our revival. Just like alcoholics. You have to admit: "Yes, I am an alcoholic" - that is the very first step towards starting treatment. In all American movies, someone says: "Hi, I'm an alcoholic," and it seems so simple to us. But in reality, it is the most difficult step," the coach said.
In 2018, Russia will host the World Cup.
