Fabio Capello would fit the bill as Russia coach, his countryman and Zenit St. Petersburg manager Luciano Spalletti has said.
The 66-year-old Italian is in talks to fill the position left vacant by Dick Advocaat, whose contract was not renewed after Euro 2012.
"Capello is one of those names that cause no doubts," Spalletti said Saturday.
"I don't see any reason not to put faith in him. As for the Russia players, he will surely find an approach to them, because they don't really differ from the European ones."
Capello was in Moscow on Thursday for talks after he was named on the union's list of 13 possible coaches.
The list included other big names such as ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, former Inter Milan and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp.
A source close to the talks told R-Sport last week that Capello was likely to have been offered a two-year contract, which would take him through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Spalletti and Capello know each other well from their rivalry as Serie A coaches. Spalletti succeeded Capello as Roma coach in 2004 after the former England boss joined Juventus.
