Hitzfeld opens the new Swiss Era with 4 Newcomers (Last Post for the Summer)

As you can see in the title this will be my last post, probably for the entire month of Augustus. I’m leaving for a trip to Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands tomorrow before settling in Leiden to start my Master in Archaeology. I will probably be back posting regularly at the very end of the month and thus I will miss the only friendly Switzerland is going to play, that against Cyprus on the 20th of August.

Talking about that friendly, our Panzer-coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has unveiled the team that will defy Cyprus in 11 days:
Keepers: BENAGLIO/Wolfsburg JAKUPOVIC/Grasshoppers
Defence: EGGIMANN/Hannover GRICHTING/ Auxerre LICHTSTEINER/Lazio MAGNIN/ Stuttgart NEF/Udinese SENDEROS/Arsenal SPYCHER/Frankfurt VON BERGEN/Hertha
Midfield and Attack: ABDI/Zurich BARNETTA/Leverkusen BEHRAMI/West Ham BURKI/Aarau DERDIYOK/Basel GELSON/ Man.City HUGGEL/Basel INLER/Udinese NKUFO/Twente STOCKER/Basel VONLANTHEN/Salzburg YAKIN/Al Gharafa

Those of few who follow Swiss football as if it were their only passion in life will notice 4 new names: Alain Nef (Udinese), Almen Abdi (FC Zurich), Sandro Burki (FC Aarau) and Valentin Stocker (FC Basel).

The former is a present that Hitzfeld bestows upon me for I have longed to see him play for the Nati, his transfer from Serie B Piacenza to Serie A hopefuls Udinese Calcio (where he’ll play with Inler) is mere proof of the quality of this defender.

Here is what Ottmar said about these 4 players:
1. Nef: He has shown his athletic qualities in the past already. And a player who succeeds in such a tactical championship as the Italian one deserves a chance.
2. Abdi: He’s a young player with a great potential and who plays in an intelligent fashion. He can still improve froma physical point of view, but it’s quite normal at his age. Other than that, he’s already played some games with the Under-21.
3. Burki: I remember him when he played for the reserves of Bayern Munich. He has improved a lot and is playing well with continuity. With his current performance he deserves to play.
4. Stocker: He hasn’t played enough for Basel yet, but he has shown his class. Although he hasn’t played for the Under-21, I don’t see any problem. Other than this, I’m glad Christian Gross (Basel’s coach) makes the young ones play.

You will notice that there are some missing names: Zuberbuehler (retired), Frei, Degen and Margairaz (injured) and Djourou.
The Arsenal defender will play for the Under-21 who play crucial games to qualify for Euro 2009.
Other players are far from their best physical condition: Muller, Vogel, Cabanas, Coltorti and Gygax are some of the big names, “A player has to play and be in form,” he said. “Vogel was injured during pre-season but I will keep watching him – the door is always open. None of these players are written off. Everyone is an option if he performs.”

Despite some changes, some things will not change: Feusisberg will still be the training field of the national team, and Alexander Frei will still be our captain!

“It was no easy task selecting this squad,” the coach concluded. “I thought about the young age of certain players. I hope they can increase the pressure on the older lads.”

While I’m writing FC Sion is losing at home to Bellinzona (A Lustrinelli first-half goal) and leaders Aarau are defeating FC Luzern with the same score, 1-0.

Last but not least, congratulations to Fabian Cancellara for winning Switzerland’s first medal at the Olympic Games, a bronze medal in cycling!

Have a great Summer, and stay tuned!