Last updated at 14:39, Monday, 23 November 2009

AS all the midweek focus centred on the Republic of Ireland’s unfortunate World Cup exit at the hands of Thierry Henry, the biggest shock of the night took place in Slovenia.

It was there on Wednesday night that Slovenia dumped Russia out of the World Cup, triumphing 1-0 to seal an away-goal win in their European zone play-off.

The victory earned Slovenia only its second ever place in the World Cup. While for Russia, the torrid evening signalled the end of a period of relative glory.

The whole of Europe watched and admired as Russia reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008, despatching Holland with ease in the quarter-finals, only to fall to winners Spain in the last-four.

Suddenly Russia was back on the map as a power in world football, and the star players that had shone on the big stage became hot property – and so the bright lights of the English Premier League came calling.

With ex-Manchester United winger Andrei Kancheslskis the only notable Russian to make the grade in England in recent years, so followed Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow to Chelsea, £18m), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow to Spurs, £14m) and Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg to Arsenal, undisclosed fee).

Nearly one-and-a-half seasons later, only Arshavin has made an impact – though Zhirkov has struggled with injury since his summer move to Stamford Bridge.

It was a prime example of how excelling at a major championships puts a player in the shop window and significantly inflates their price tag.

The same thing happened in the wake of World Cup 2002 when Senegal came from nowhere to reach the quarter-finals, accounting for France and Sweden in the process.

In next to no time, the Premier League became home to a large chunk of the Senegalese squad. In came Aliou Cissé, Henri Camara, El Hadji Diouf, Amdy Faye, Salif Diao, Papa Bouba Diop and Habib Beye (after a quick Wikipedia check I’ve actually surprised myself at how many there were!)

Would we have ever seen most of them if not for World Cup 2002?

There is no doubting the quality of the current Russia team and, given they were in the same World Cup qualifying group as Germany, it is perhaps no surprise they only managed a play-off place.

Time will tell if Russia peaked at Euro 2008. We haven’t heard much of Senegal since 2002 I wonder where Russia will be in eight years’ time?

First published at 12:59, Monday, 23 November 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk