By John Sinnott

Hiddink's Russia are one point ahead of England

Guus Hiddink has transformed Russia since becoming coach and England will face an organised team on Wednesday, says ex-Dutch midfielder Jordi Cruyff.

The teams meet in a Euro 2008 qualifier and Cruyff, 33, who played for Holland under Hiddink at Euro 96, told BBC Sport: "Russia are more disciplined.

"He has had to get used to a different mentality in Russia but he knows how to get the best out of his players.

"He focuses a lot on what his team is doing when they don't have the ball."

Hiddink has always been open to foreign adventures Jordi Cruyff

Russia are a point ahead of England in qualifying Group E, two points behind leaders Croatia.

And the match between the two nations means Hiddink, who took over as Russia coach in the summer of 2006, returning to Wembley - where he suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats of his career when England beat Holland 4-1 at the European Championship 11 years ago.

Former Manchester United forward Cruyff, who now plays for Metalurg Donetsk in the Ukraine, featured in that game at Wembley under the then Dutch coach.

Holland eventually went out of the tournament on penalties at the quarter-final stage but their campaign was undermined by a divisions within their squad.

Midfielder Edgar Davids was sent home amid accusations Hiddink was favouring certain players.

Cruyff added: "That was the beginning of Hiddink's international experience but it's quite obvious since then he has had enormous success with the national teams he has worked with.

"You only have to look at what he has done with South Korea, Australia and now with Russia.

"The Dutch experience was a learning curve for him and we had a complicated group.

"What happened wasn't his fault - players bringing problems from their clubs into the camp. That was outside his control and he paid the price.

"He tried to control the situation quite well.

"That was a formation period for him but you learn a lot from those experiences.

"He has always been open to foreign adventures, like Korea and Australia, and he has had great success with those countries."

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Cruyff believes Hiddink has managed to change the way Russian players think more flexibly, just as he did with the South Korea side in the 2002 World Cup, where the nation finished fourth.

"I play in the Ukraine and I know the mentality. There hasn't been a lot of stability but he has brought that," said Cruyff.

"Russia are now a lot more disciplined but they aren't so reliant on the coach - they have now learnt to think more for themselves.

"Russians playing abroad has also helped because they have brought back more experience."