Zenit manager gets Putin call

russian premier gives dick a bell

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DICK Advocaat received a congratulatory phone call from Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin after his Zenit St Petersburg side triumphed in the Uefa Cup last night.

Zenit beat Advocaat’s former club Rangers 2-0 thanks to goals from Igor Denisov and Konstatin Zyryanov, only the second time a Russian side has won a European trophy.

The Zenit players were congratulated in the dressing-room afterwards by former Russian prime minister Viktor Zubkov, while Advocaat was phoned by Putin.

Advocaat said: “Winning a prize like this doesn’t come often in life. I am very happy and very proud to we have won. After the way we have played in this tournament we have really deserved this.”

The teetotal Advocaat also had to dodge a champagne soaking from his celebrating players. He added: “The players tried to throw the champagne over my head afterwards but I was too quick!”

The 60-year-old Dutchman admitted he now faces a struggle to hang on to star players such as man of the match Andrei Arshavin – he lost Martin Skrtel to Liverpool in the January transfer window.

He added: “That will happen, I have no doubts about that and we will have to start again. That is the problem if you become successful - such as happened with Skrtel sold to Liverpool. We have to keep those players to become a better team.”

In terms of the match, Advocaat insisted the Russians had deserved to win what is his first European trophy. He said: “I have won many championships but never the Uefa Cup before, so now it’s almost everything.”