Ponedelnik calls for positive thinking from Russia

Viktor Ponedelnik is a man who knows what it takes to succeed on the European stage. It may be five decades ago now but Ponedelnik remains the first man to score the winning goal the final of what became the UEFA European Championship, claiming the Soviet Union's extra-time winner against Yugoslavia on home soil in 1960.

It is worth listening to Ponedelnik then when he suggests Dick Advocaat's Russia are well set to finish on top of their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying group. They are currently in a three-way tie with the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia at the Group B summit.

Russia continue their campaign at home against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on Friday before the Republic of Ireland come to Moscow four days later. "Russia should definitely be able to progress as leaders of this group," said Ponedelnik. "If we look at their squad, it is obvious that [Advocaat] is starting to make some small changes to the team, like giving young players a chance.

"I think that all four games that are still left to play have to be won [but] if we start doubting and saying that the national team is not ready, it will have a negative effect. I believe that the media have gone a bit too far in this sense."

If Ponedelnik thinks Russia benefited from the man-management skills of Advocaat's compatriot predecessor Guus Hiddink – "he had a way of communicating with the players in the team" – he believes the players have a responsibility to ensure they contribute to recapturing the spirit that helped them reach the UEFA EURO 2008 semi-finals.

"Russia can be successful if there's a unified spirit within the team like in Hiddink's time," said the 74-year-old, who had a long career in journalism after hanging up his boots. "Also if every player understands that being selected brings a great responsibility, so that everyone plays fast technical football and tries to score as many goals as possible, then we will see the true national team in action."

Ponedelnik recognises too that the prevailing pessimism is nothing new, recalling a similar mood on the eve of Russia's thrilling campaign in Austria and Switzerland three years ago. "Even when they departed for the tournament, few people believed that Russia would finish in the top four," he said. "After we had arrived with a small group of former players, supporters would come up to us and say, 'Why did we come here? It is hopeless anyway.' People went along with their families for a holiday but had little faith in the team's chances."

What followed, of course, was Russia's finest international performance since the break-up of the Soviet Union, capped by victory against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Ponedelnik remembers it fondly, in particular for the bond between players and supporters.

"I have never seen so many fans and such strong emotional support during games abroad," he added. "I think that the team played so well also due to that level of support. Now it is possible for large numbers of fans to travel, which was unheard of in Soviet times. There was a sense of unity between the team and supporters, which is a great thing."