Switzerland - Euro 2008 Team Profile

Mike Tuckerman reports...

Switzerland Copyright © Soccerphile

Road to Switzerland / Austria

While few expect co-hosts Austria to progress beyond the group stage, expectations for Switzerland are somewhat higher given their impressive showing at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Despite that good showing Switzerland's recent friendly results haven't been quite as impressive. Indeed the Swiss have lost their past three friendlies in a row, to England, Nigeria and the United States – while they were also beaten by the likes of Japan, Colombia and Jamaica in 2007.

Only a morale boosting 2-1 win over the Netherlands and a gritty 1-1 draw with Argentina have given Swiss fans cause for optimism, with Jakob Kuhn's team presenting somewhat of a mixed bag going into the tournament.

Analysis

Jakob Kuhn has moulded a defensively solid outfit since taking charge of the national team in 2001, although with Switzerland in a particularly tough looking group that also features the Czech Republic, Portugal and Turkey, Kuhn will have his work cut out for him guiding the Swiss into the quarter-finals.

Switzerland's second match in the group against Turkey could prove vital, and there'll be plenty of fireworks after Switzerland knocked the Turks out of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in a now infamous playoff. The fall-out from that tie resulted in Turkey having to play three of their Euro 2008 qualifiers behind closed doors, and they'll be itching for revenge when they come face-to-face with the Swiss once again.

Question marks remain over the fitness of Borussia Dortmund star Alexander Frei, while Switzerland have already lost experienced central defender Patrick Mueller and midfielder Xavier Margairaz to injury. Former captain Johann Vogel was dropped by coach Kuhn, and for all their defensive solidity, Switzerland look short on firepower up front if Frei is not fully fit.

Switzerland have also struggled in their two previous European apperances, finishing bottom of their group in 1996 and 2004 – scoring just once on each occasion.

Key player: Alexander Frei

Injury-prone Borussia Dortmund striker Alexander Frei has been the mainstay of the Swiss attack for years, and the newly-appointed captain needs just three more goals to become his nation's all-time top scorer.

One to watch: Eren Derdiyok

English fans will know all about Eren Derdiyok, after the 19-year-old FC Basel striker came off the bench to stun the Wembley faithful with an equaliser in Switzerland's recent friendly defeat to England.

The versatile youngster – who also holds Turkish citizenship, could be the secret weapon in coach Koebi Kuhn's arsenal.

Coach

The appointment of Jakob ‘Koebi' Kuhn trigged murmurs of discontent within Swiss football circles, however the 65-year-old managed to guide Switzerland to the finals of Euro 2004 and the World Cup in Germany two years later.

In spite of those achievements Kuhn has announced that he will step down as Swiss coach at the end of the tournament, to be replaced by current Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Recent Previous Tournaments

1996: Group stage
2000: Did not qualify
2004: Group stage

Soccerphile says .....

Jakob Kuhn has declared his intention to win Euro 2008 on home soil, but given Switzerland's recent poor form that seems a bold statement indeed. The alpine nation will nevertheless aim to finish at least second in the group, making it imperative to take something from their opening clash with the Czech Republic at the St. Jakob-Parkstadion in Basel.

Euro 2008 Squad

Bet on Euro 2008

Goalkeepers Pascal Zuberbuehler (Neuchatel Xamax), Diego Benaglio (VfL Wolfsburg), Eldin Jakupovic (Grasshoppers)
Defenders Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund), Johan Djourou (Arsenal), Stephane Grichting (Auxerre), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lille), Ludovic Magnin (Stuttgart), Patrick Mueller (Lyon), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Midfielders Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen), Valon Behrami (Lazio), Ricardo Cabanas (Grasshoppers), Gelson Fernandes (Manchester City), Daniel Gygax (FC Metz), Benjamin Huggel (FC Basel), Gokhan Inler (Udinese), Johan Vonlanthen (Red Bull Salzburg)
Forwards Eren Derdiyok (Basel), Alexander Frei (Borussia Dortmund), Marco Streller (FC Basel), Hakan Yakin (Young Boys)

Flights To Switzerland / Austria
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