By Andrew Warshaw
November 10 – Former Russian captain Alexei Smertin (pictured), who spent three years at Chelsea, believes his country has a better case for staging the 2018 World Cup than England.
The Russians are emerging as one of England’s most dangerous competitors in the race to stage the tournament and Smertin, who has switched to politics since hanging up his boots, says legacy would be a key issue in what is expected to be an increasingly fierce lobbying battle.
Capped over 50 times for his country, Smertin is hoping that the choice of South Africa as World Cup hosts next year and Rio as Olympic hosts in 2016 will influence the 24 members of FIFA’s Executive Committee.
“South Africa has never staged the World Cup and South America has never had the Olympics,” said Smertin.
“It looks like there is a new mood at the moment.
“Maybe Russia next time.
“It would be good for FIFA to give us the World Cup as we are a developing football country.”
Smertin, who played for Chelsea between 2003-06 and was also at Fulham, Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic during a four-year stint in England, is fully aware of the global reach of English football.
He believes, however, that his country has far more to offer when it comes to the growth of the game.
Russia has never hosted a major football tournament, although Moscow was the host city for the 1980 Olympic Games and the Black Sea resort of Sochi will stage the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Fourteen cities are included in the initial Russian 2018 proposal.
Bid authorities hope to have five stadia fit to host World Cup games by 2013 — two in Moscow and one each in St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi.
“We proved with our Sochi bid that progress is being made,” said Smertin.
“Russia has played football for as long as England but we have never staged either the World Cup or the European Championship.
“Legacy is the key.
“England already has the facilities in place.”
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