Euro 2008 Team Profile: Switzerland

Nickname: La Nati (The National Team) Rossocrociati (Red-Crossed)

Jersey: Red at home, white away – but they’re definitely the home team.

FIFA World Ranking: 48th (May 2008) so 15th out of 16 Euro 2008 teams.

Fixtures/Schedule: Group A
7th June vs Czech Republic (Basle) 18:00
11 June vs Turkey (Basle) 20:45
15th June vs Portugal (Basle) 20:45

Coach: Jakob “Köbi” Kuhn. The 64 year old was in charge of various Swiss youth teams (including the Under 21s) for 12 years, before taking the big job in 2001. Took Switzerland to Euro 2004 and finished bottom of Group C, but then lead Switzerland for World Cup 2006 and took a young team out of the group stage and into the knockouts. Will retire after Euro 2008 and be replaced by Otmar Hitzfeld.

Expectations: If this tournament was being hosted somewhere else, no one would expect Switzelrand to get out of Group A. They’re simply not as good as Portugal, Czech Republic or Turkey. But as co-hosts, qualification for the next round is expected. Kuhn himself says “For me, a spot in the quarterfinals is the absolute minimum. I don’t want to contemplate for a moment playing three games and then leaving the competition.” We’ll see.

Key Player: Has to be Tranquillo Barnetta. The Bayer Leverkusen man can play as a left winger or attacking midfielder and is easily Switzerland’s most dangerous player. He’s got pace and an eye for a pass.

Barnetta also gave Kuhn an injury scare recently, but could be fit for the opening game.

Other Key Players: Striker Alexander Frei is the captain and easily the best finisher. Plus he’s so accurate he can bounce a free kick off the post, off a keeper’s face and into the net. He’s had a long time off with a hip injury, but returned to the Borussia Dortmund team to score six in eight. Kuhn will have to hope Frei is ready for the rigours of tournament footy. Hakan Yakin is a talented playmaker but so inconsistent that Kuhn doesn’t trust him enough to start. Udinese’s Gokham Inler will be the destroyer in midfield, while Patrick Muller will be the rock at the back (assuming Lyon let him out to play this sumer.)

X-Factor: Injuries. Will Frei stay healthy? Will Barnetta be fit? Patrick Muller also recently recovered from knee ligament trouble.

Squad:

Team Blogger: Jan will be manning the Swiss blog for us, and has also written a (better informed and just plain better) Switzerland team profile for you to read.

Random International Moment:
Beating South Korea 2-0 to qualify for the Second Round of World Cup 2006, where they lost on pens to Ukraine following a 0-0 draw.

19 year old Eren Derdiyok scoring on his debut vs England in February.