"Of course Onopko and Ignashevich who have long been playing together are the cornerstones of our defense, but football injuries are part of the game, and we have to put up with it," he said.
He said that the maximal achievement he hoped for was the Euro Cup, and the minimal one - that the team would qualify for the playoffs. "Anyway, we will play for the highest places at the Euro 2004," he emphasized.
Now that the national team is dominated by a new generation of players, he said, "These players want to not only repeat but also improve the results of their famous predecessors of the Soviet team of the 1970-80s."
He said that on Saturday all the 23 players had trained, although Dmitry Sennikov, Roman Sharonov, and Marat Izmailov trained individually. "On Sunday they will train with the rest of the team," Koloskov said.
"We are satisfied about the living conditions," he said, "the rooms are wonderful, as well as the field. The players' appetite reveals that they are adapting successfully."
Koloskov also emphasized that hosts had provided extensive security measures around the Russian base, sending mounted policemen and gendarmes with dogs patrolling the area. He said such security measures were adequate, as there is a terrorist threat to huge international events.
He also emphasized that such measures were prescribed by UEFA.
He said that on Friday night prior to the team's departure for Portugal UEFA doctors had doping-tested some players at the training base in Bor near Moscow. The results of the test will be announced before the tournament. He remarked that all candidates had passed such examinations. "All players are clean, and we do not anticipate any unpleasant surprises," he said.
Koloskov promised that players and the leadership of the national team would try to be as open to the press as possible. One of local hotels will host a "Russian House" from June 11, where journalists will be able to talk informally to the members of the Russian football delegation.
