MOSCOW, December 2 (R-Sport) – Italian football manager Fabio Capello’s lengthy talks on a new contract to coach the Russian national team look set to drag on another week, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko told R-Sport on Monday.
Last month Capello’s agent and son, Pierfilippo Capello, said some important issues still needed to be resolved in the talks, which have been going on for at least six weeks despite a summit meeting between Fabio Capello and Mutko early last month. The 67-year-old Italian now will not sign before the World Cup draw on Friday, Mutko said.
“The contract won’t be signed before the World Cup draw,” Mutko said. “As far as I know, all issues and details have already been agreed. I support the extension of his contract, and I’m convinced that he should keep on working.”
The Russian football association’s president, Nikolai Tolstykh, has offered Capello sweeping powers to control the country’s national teams at all levels if he signs the deal, putting the Italian front and center in Russia's preparations to host the 2018 World Cup.
Capello took charge of Russia in July 2012 on a two-year contract worth a reported 5 million euros ($6.7 million) a year. Since taking over from Dick Advocaat, Capello has guided Russia to their first World Cup in 12 years by qualifying for Brazil 2014.
