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Gokhan Inler - a Swiss boy in the Italian élite

By: Jan | May 8th, 2008 | No Comments »

Amid the disappointment and disillusionment that Swiss starplayers had to cope with after a promising transfer market one player seems to stand out of the crowd of anonimity.

Gokhan Masera Inler, this being his not-very-Swiss name, was born on June the 27th, 1984, in Olten, Solothurn, Switzerland by Turkish parents.
Growing up in the Basel youth team Inler was surprisingly offered a try by Fenerbahce Istanbul (at the time, coached by Daum) during their pre-season training in Germany.
However, despite playing part of a game and enjoying prospects of a 4-year contract with the Turkish team, Inler was rejected and was offered a 3-year contract by Aarau where he played 25 games, scoring 3 goals.
In 2006 he was transferred to FC Zurich (under Lucien Favre) where he played a total of 52 games scoring 3 goals. When Lucien Favre left Switzerland to coach Hertha he didn’t mask his interest in bringing the player to Germany.
However, Udinese was quicker. On the 4th of July 2007 the Italian team confirmed that Inler had signed a 5-year deal and 3 months later, Alessandro Calori, a former Udinese captain, stated that Inler was the most pleasant surprise in this new Udinese team.
He scored his first goal against Torino (see video) on the 31st of October.

Yet, at the beginning of 2008 the transfer market turned Inler’s name into a redundant one.
Internazionale, Juventus, Lazio and Liverpool seem to be interested in signing the player.

In January Udinese stated that the player was not going to be transferred.
But how can that be now that Gazzetta dello Sport (the leading Italian sports newspaper) awarded the Swiss player with a second place in a “Best Foreign Player” list, immediately after Sissoko and towering above the likes of Juan, Lavezzi and Pato.
He’s second in the list of player who’ve played the most (3302 minutes, 3415 for Atalanta’s goalkeeper Coppola).

However, Inler states: “I don’t want to look too far, presently I’m at Udinese and it’s the only club I care for right now. I’m part of a good young team with a very interesting project”.

Inler has become a pillar of the Swiss National Team and has played 13 games scoring 1 goal.


More Switzerland World Cup News

Degen and Liverpool, a dream or more?

By: Jan | April 28th, 2008 | No Comments »

For those whose thoughts are football-centred 24h a day this piece of news might be no surprise.
Yet for us proud Swiss folks (ok, I’m Dutch, but I still consider myself from Schwiiz) the recent news that Degen is going to taste the emotions of Anfield on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund comes as a surprise and something that ... [read]


Switzerland - Germany When a score doesn’t reflect the actual game

By: Jan | March 28th, 2008 | No Comments »

Switzerland-Germany0-4 (0-1)
Parc St-Jacques - 38 500 spectators
Referee: Bramhaar (NED)
Goals: 23rd Klose 0-1. 61st Gomez 0-2. 67th Gomez 0-3. 89th Podolski 0-4.
Switzerland: Benaglio; Lichtsteiner, Eggimann, Senderos (75th von Bergen), Spycher; Behrami (58th Gygax), Inler, Fernandes (87th Huggel); Barnetta (80th Vonlanthen); Derdiyok (46th Nkufo), Frei (83rd Yakin).
Germany: Lehmann; Lahm (87th Trochowski), Mertesacker, Westermann, Jansen (79th Rolfes); Fritz (72nd Friedrich), ... [read]


Switzerland - Germany, first half thoughts

By: Jan | March 26th, 2008 | No Comments »

Definitely an unfair score. As Switzerland’s pressure on Germany was growing a pretty fortuitous goal was scored by Klose. Quite against the run of play.
Lichtsteiner, Behrami and Inler were probably the best Swiss players on the pitch. The right flank is strong and provided the best offensive moves. On the opposite side Spycher and Fernandes are often put under ... [read]


Frei is back!

By: Jan | March 19th, 2008 | No Comments »

His last game with the Nati dates back to the 25th of March 2007 in a 3-1 defeat to Colombia (awful game, I had gladly forgotten about it) but a series of injuries (most serious being a hip injury) kept him off the pitches until last February and has played 5 games since providing 4 assists yet failing to score.
On ... [read]


The El-Hadary Case

By: Jan | February 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

Many of you know about that crazy Egyptian goalkeeper sitting on the crossbar and moving to the rhythm of the excited crowd!
Many of you remember him for his incredible saves and his well-deserved African Cup of Nations Trophies.
Now Egyptians and Swiss know him for the strange case that has taken place these past weeks.
Super League side FC Sion ... [read]


Swiss Cup Final

By: Jan | February 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

Congratulations to Bellinzona who qualified for its third ever Swiss Cup Final! They will defy the Basel giants.
The team from Ticino defeated Neuchatel Xamax on penalties and thus ensured its dreamlike final berth whilst Basel (probably the Swiss Champions this year) defeated Thun 1-0.
German Switzerland vs Italian Switzerland! Bellinzona is a surprising team: firmly in control in the Challenge ... [read]


Hitzfeld and injuries

By: Jan | February 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

It’s official!
Ottmar Hitzfeld will be the new Swiss coach starting from the 1st of July 2008 with a two-year contract (thus pertaining to World Cup 2010)! He will have to pick up Kuhn’s heritage and hopefully be the coach of a European Champion!
On Monday there will be a press conference in Zurich to present the new coach (twice winner ... [read]


3 places up the ranking!

By: Jan | February 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

Switzerland keeps climbing! From our previous spot n.44 we go up to n.41!
Not much for a team with our ambition!
1. (1.) Argentina 1518.
2. (2.) Brasil 1502.
3. (3.) Italy 1484.
4. (4.) Spain 1352.
5. (5.) Germany 1281.
6. (6.)* Czech Rep. 1244.
7. (7.) France 1223.
8. (8.)* Portugal 1191.
9. (9.) Netherlands 1179.
10. (11.)** Greece 1142.
Following: 18. (16.)* Turkey 927. 23. (26.)** Israël 878. ... [read]


Player Profile: Diego Benaglio

By: Jan | February 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Diego Benaglio
Diego Benaglio in action
Date of Birth: 8th September 1983
Place of Birth: Zurich
Club History: Grasshoppers 1999-2002 (23 Appearances), VfB Stuttgart 2002-2005 (37 App.), CD Nacional 2005-2007 (61 App.), VfL Wolfsburg 2008-
Selections for the “Nati”: 9 appearances, 630 Minutes
First Appearance: Switzerland - China 4-1 (Sub) 03.06.2006, Switzerland - Venezuela 1-0 02.09.2007
Watch Benaglio’s saves in Wolfsburg - Schalke!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPffPDjnNfA
... [read]


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