Prosecutors call for jail sentence for Hiddink

Dutch prosecutors yesterday called for a 10-month jail sentence for Russia's national soccer coach Guus Hiddink on tax fraud charges, Dutch news agency ANP reported.

Prosecutors say Dutchman Hiddink evaded almost 1.4 million euros ($1.81 million) in Dutch taxes while falsely claiming he was a resident of Belgium in 2002 and 2003.

From 2000 to 2002 Hiddink was employed as the national coach of the South Korean national team, guiding the co-hosts to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup tournament.

Hiddink had actually stayed at his girlfriend's home in Amsterdam, a prosecutor said, calling Hiddink's Belgium residence a "joke".

"Hiddink has fallen from a high pedestal," he added.

Hiddink and his lawyer declined to comment, ANP said.

In Moscow, Russian soccer chief Vitaly Mutko said he was not too concerned about the case.

"I don't think it'll get to a jail sentence," Mutko, president of the Russian Football Union (RFU) and the man responsible of luring Hiddink to Moscow, told Reuters.

"We live in a civilised world, not in medieval times. Holland is a European country, so I don't think they will go to the extreme," Mutko said.

"Besides, this is just a prosecutor's demand. Let's wait and see what the judges will actually make of it."

Hiddink is currently in the Netherlands where his Russia team face the Dutch in an international friendly match in Amsterdam today.

Prosecutors began legal proceedings against Hiddink last July.