do you mean Stefan, Kerim or Alex apparently, Gavranovic will play for Switzerland and is called up for Bulgaria... The squad will be announced this afternoon CET
Stefan, as Benaglio is out. Timing is not the best as MLS gets stared this weekend, but I really think that he deserves at least a look.
here is the squad.. Leoni, Vailati and Gavranovic in the squad Torhüter: Marco Wölfli, Johnny Leoni, Germano Vailati. Verteidiger: François Affolter, Stéphane Grichting, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Steve von Bergen, Reto Ziegler. Mittelfeld: Valon Behrami, Blerim Dzemaili, Gelson Fernandes, Gökhan Inler, Xavier Margairaz, Pirmin Schwegler, Xherdan Shaqiri, Valentin Stocker, Hakan Yakin. Sturm: Eren Derdiyok, Alex Frei, Mario Gavranovic, Marco Streller.
Margairaz again?!? Is Ottmar going senile? Jeez... Also could've done without Yakin.. Vailati and Leoni also bad choices imo. Would rather see S Frei get a call up
I'm happy he called up Gavranovic at last and at least then, hope Kasami and Seferovic will also get their chance... there's bad news concering Shaqiri who got injured in the GC match
[LINEUP-4-3-3] Megan Leban, Kendall Calhoun, Noah Smith, Maxwell, Mark Langston, Lauren Lewis, Christian Tolentino, Kelsey, Dylan R, Clay, Nicholas Trussel [/LINEUP-4-3-3] Conner, Thomas Resha, Taylore Brooks. Christian, Hannah, Caitlin
At any other time I suppose an away draw in Bulgaria would be seen as a decent result. But not this time. Please don't tell me that Frei and Streller (aka 'Hansel and Gretel') were the Swiss 'strikers'...again. Please no. When will Hitzfeld ever learn? Rhetorical question of course.
well, Frei and Streller started... then Derdiyok came on and later Gavranovic for Streller... but that was all too late too little... if Hitzfeld wants to play on counter attack, then Derdiyok and Gavranovic should start... if starting with Frei and Streller as in Bulgaria, then we should have played more offensive. Both are better in attacking teams due to different reasons. Derdiyok and Gavranovic would be the better options for counters. Streller might retire after the EC qualifiers btw
Wow, what a dismantlement of a Euro round. Very poor showing from the Swiss. To be honest, since the qualification for the World Cup was assured, the Swiss have really not played well.
Looking at how we've played the last couple of years (except for 2 or 3 games) it's really hard to believe that we got a so called worldclass coach. I can't believe Hitzfeld got a contract extension, I really miss Köbi. Say what you will but under him at least Switzerland played as a team.
even in Basels newspaper they say Frei should retire before the England match... http://blog.bazonline.ch/steilpass/index.php/1043/das-fahrlassigste-eigentor-im-schweizer-fussball/ same for the Blick... and also the Swiss German newspapers agree that the contract with Hitzfeld shouldn't have been renewed http://bazonline.ch/sport/fussball/...-man-nicht-verlaengern-duerfen/story/24818328 and everybody says there are several problems in the team also among players http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/sport/fussball/an_fast_allen_ecken_fehlt_etwas_1.10051084.html http://www.blick.ch/sport/fussball/nati/das-ist-faul-in-der-nati-169436 and that fresh blood is needed http://www.blick.ch/sport/fussball/nati/30-neue-fuer-hitzfeld-169401 in the Romandie, the newspapers are more questioning yet
Frei and Streller retire from the Nati now - I'm feeling relief I have to say. I liked Frei at Servette, was angry when he didn't get a chance at Rennes where he was underrated at the beginning. I was happy for him when he got his chance there and he then also had good years in the NT. The bad moments started at Euro 04 tough after a strong Euro qualification with a very strong Yakin. WC 2006 was bad and tough luck not just for the penalty, EC 2008 and WC2010 were also bad, but thanks to a bad qualification group we were there at least. He always needed support from OM's (Monterrubio, Yakin) and does not really fit in Hitzfeld's counter tactics for which most Swiss NT players are too slow anyway (see speed list from WC) After his time at Rennes, Frei was overrated contrary to his time before Rennes. In the NT he became captain while being on his way down (why not making Inler captain to tickle his potential out?). And jealousy etc has been growing with his growing arrogance while at the same time his game got worse... Streller has been an eternal hope for the NT but he never was more then that. He is playing good when playing instinctively but bad when thinking too much (VfB, WC 2006). Whatever I think he could have made much more out of himself if he wouldn't have been complaining all the time (VfB, Nati), but fighting. If he would have grown up in Germany he never would have made it in the Bundesliga (too soft)
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-switzerland-forwardsretire I too have mixed emotions about this. I am excited for the next generation to step forward, there is nothing to loose now. I will be that the Swiss will be a third seeded team for the next WCQ. I liked Frei, not his arragonce, but I liked him. Good luck at Basel and I hope that he and Streller play well there together. More points for the UEFA Coefficient!
yes, best luck for them at Basel. I hope Streller can make a step forward yet in his development and hope Frei has a few good years yet
btw, Vonlanthen is about to get a new chance at Salzburg Mehmedi and some young guys are in good shape... Seferovic at least with Fiorentina's B... Ben Khalifa at least has made the bench in the last few matches... let's see. Gavra is out a few weeks. Emeghara could be called up for the A-team sooner than he might have tought.
well, we probably will switch to a 4-2-3-1 system Gavranovic or Ben Khalifa could surely play behind Derdiyok as could F.Frei or Costanzo or others... Alternatives for the attack are also Emeghara, Seferovic, Mehmedi, Prijovic. And I really hope to see Vonlanthen playing again who is back in training at RBS, soon. Bunjaku is back in first team training at Nurnberg.
My one plea is do not trash the M20 team at this point in qualifying. Let the M20 team send the best players for the Euro Championship.