Dutch football coach Guus Hiddink has explained why he decided not to take up the job at Russia’s richest club, Anzhi Makhachkala.

­“The Dagestan club is a mixture of experienced and young players, and it has close ties with the public,” Hiddink said in an interview with Dutch De Telegraaf paper. “But apart from international transfers there must be a strong local football school. Originally, the Anzhi bosses offered me a job with the youth, but then asked to focus on the selection of players for the main squad and serve as technical director.”

Hiddink, who led Russia to quarterfinals at Euro 2008, was in talks with the Makhachkala club after he parted with the Turkish national team back in November.

According to various media reports, the 65-year-old was offered the positions of head coach, technical director and consultant at Anzhi, but all the negotiations were fruitless.

“When I worked with the Russian national team I was defending the limit on foreign players, and Anzhi asked me to change my football philosophy,” he stressed.

The Makhachkala side announced the name of their new coach couple of days before the New Year, opting for second Russian squad boss, Yury Krasnozhan.