As an aside you can see why there is unrest in the caucasus areas of Russia. The parts where the slavic people live are well developed if in places quite run down, even in the heart of the taiga. The various towns and cities of the caucasus mountains are pretty much third world, with dirt road, and donkeys pulling carts. The gas for heating hadn't been working for a couple of years in one town, and in the caucasus mountains, near mt Elbrus it gets very cold. The locals blame the terrorism on Al Qaeda, but extremists can only flourish where there is poverty.
Start a history thread, I'd be happy to contribute. Although my history knowledge is mainly based around places that I've visited and what I remember from museums, talking to people, and tours.
Anyway to try and steer this back on topic, considering we don't have a chance of qualifying for the world cup I would have thought the players would have jumped at the option to play a game against a world cup host, in a world cup stadium - and also experience a country that is fairly isolated and hard to get to at the same time (although Kosta might not want to go back).