Hiddink maintains Pav concern

Russian coach not happy

Last updated: 9th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hiddink maintains Pav concern

Pavlyuchenko: Limited action

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Russia coach Guus Hiddink has again expressed his concerns over the future of Roman Pavlyuchenko's lack of first-team football.

The striker is struggling to get any regular playing time at Tottenham, with Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Hiddink has already stated that he is concerned that one of his leading lights is struggling for football in a World Cup year.

"Yes, there is that danger [he could be left out]," said Hiddink - whose Russian side face Slovenia in their two-legged World Cup play-off over the coming weeks.

"It will depend on other strikers. I'm not going to take six forwards for one position."

Alexander Kerzhakov was left out of Hiddink's Euro 2008 squad, and the Dutchman added: "A similar situation could arise in 2010 and Roman should remember this.

"But we know how Pavlyuchenko can improve in the run up to the World Cup.

"When we began preparing for Euro 2008, he was not in good form.

"But with three to four weeks of heavy training he lost four kilos and put himself in a position that allowed him to perform well at the European Championship."

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