Switzerland will be in the 2nd pot for the draw on 23 February in Nice, France. Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina Pot 2: Ukraine, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Republic of Ireland Pot 3: Serbia, Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Norway, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, Poland Pot 4: Montenegro, Armenia, Scotland, Finland, Latvia, Wales, Bulgaria, Estonia, Belarus Pot 5: Iceland, Northern Ireland, Albania, Lithuania, Moldova, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Cyprus Pot 6: Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Faroe Islands, Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Gibraltar How about this: England Switzerland Slovenia Estonia Lithuania Malta UEFA EURO 2016/European Qualifiers calendar Matchday 1: 7–9 September 2014 Matchday 2: 9–11 October 2014 Matchday 3: 12–14 October 2014 Matchday 4: 14–16 November 2014 Matchday 5: 27–29 March 2015 Matchday 6: 12–14 June 2015 Matchday 7: 3–5 September 2015 Matchday 8: 6–8 September 2015 Matchday 9: 8–10 October 2015 Matchday 10: 11–13 October 2015 Play-off first leg: 12–14 November 2015 Play-off second leg: 15–17 November 2015 Final tournament draw: 12 December 2015 Final tournament (France): 10 June–10 July 2016 More changes. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the finals in France along with the third-placed side with the best record against the nations first, second, fourth and fifth in their pool. The remaining eight third-placed teams will play off in November 2015 for the remaining four berths. In theory the Swiss should not have a problem.
8 Sep 2014: Switzerland - England 9 Oct 2014: Slovenia - Switzerland 14 Oct 2014: San Marino - Switzerland 15. Nov 2014: Switzerland - Lithuania 27. Mar 2015: Switzerland - Estonia re-matches 14. Jun 2015: Lithuania - Switzerland 5. Sep 2015: Switzerland - Slovenia 8. Sep 2015: England - Switzerland 9. Oct 2015: Switzerland - San Marino 12. Oct 2015: Estonia - Switzerland 2nd place is needed for the direct qualification - the first matches will be important already. It could be an advantage playing England in September already as the PL starts quite late compared to the SFL... However, most of our players play in leagues which start around the same time as the PL anyway
5/6 ('predictions') ain't bad! I'm glad Switzerland have got England.....and avoided Albania. It's a shame that England didn't get Luxembourg, Liechtenstein or Albania though. Three 'banana skins' waiting to happen.
I like this group. To be honest, England is the most beatable team from pot 1 for the Swiss. In recent years they seem to do well against English teams. Slovenia is a ton different than the team that made the World Cup in 2010, but still could be a challenge. Estonia has given youth Swiss teams some trouble. San Marino has a new coach. All that being said, if the Swiss can not finish at least 2nd in this group, they do not deserve to play in the Euros. 8 Sep 2014: Switzerland - England (Basel or Berne) 15. Nov 2014: Switzerland - Lithuania (St Gallen?) 27. Mar 2015: Switzerland - Estonia (Berne ?) 5. Sep 2015: Switzerland - Slovenia (Geneva ?) 9. Oct 2015: Switzerland - San Marino (Thun - wrap up qualification?)
Match against England will be in Basel as expected. My predictions for the remaining - 15. Nov 2014: Switzerland - Lithuania (St Gallen) 27. Mar 2015: Switzerland - Estonia (Luzern) 5. Sep 2015: Switzerland - Slovenia (Geneva) 9. Oct 2015: Switzerland - San Marino (Thun - wrap up qualification?)
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/worl...y-s-England-boys-that-Switzerland-are-no-mugs http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-an-example-and-test-for-england-9587114.html England might be finally wising up to the fact that the Swiss can play.
Steady on RTA. The english media are still complaining about FIFA's Swiss ranking/Sepp Blatter. Nothing will change until Switzerland beat them home and away. ...And then they'd just blame the weather/ref........or Sepp (of course)
Eren Derdiyok will not be able to help the team as he just tore his right ACL. He is out for the year.
That's hard, wonder if he'll get his carrera back on track some day... Anyway we got Michi Frey and Embolo banging on the door and what else? If Loris Benito does well in Benfica Petkovic should try to move up Rodriguez to midfield. Can Aliji be one for the future? Will Daprela start for Palermo in Serie A? Was kind of disappointed in Lichtsteiner in the WC and I think Widmer should get a chance soon. I reckon Kasami will play a part in the qualification.. What do you guys think? Any other potential NT players out there?
The BBC's closing montage of the WC included a clip of Lichtsteiner crying in Benaglio's net after Argentina scored. Given that he lost possession (and the rest is history) it could be time for him to be replaced. His performance v France wasn't good either - but I think Von Bergen's nasty injury unsettled the whole team. He's always been one of my swiss favourites, but rather like Frei und Streller, it could be time to 'move on?'
Here's an extended roster, Petkovic' job is looking quite comfortable Benaglio Wolfsburg Sommer Gladbach Bürki Freiburg Hitz Augsburg Lichtsteiner Juventus Widmer Udinese Lang Grasshoppers Djourou Hamburg Schär Basel Lustenberger Hertha Berlin Klose Wolfsburg Senderos Aston Villa Von Bergen Young Boys Taulant Xhaka Basel Rodriguez Wolfsburg Benito Benfica Ziegler ? Daprela Palermo Shaqiri Bayern Xhaka Gladbach Dzemaili Napoli Inler Napoli Gelson Rennes Behrami Hamburg Fabian Frei Basel Schwegler Hoffenheim Buff Zürich Kasami Olympiacos Stocker Hertha Berlin Zuber Hoffenheim Barnetta Schalke Mehmedi Freiburg Drmic Leverkusen Seferovic Frankfurt Gavranovic Zürich Emeghara ? Derdiyok Kasimpasa Ben Khalifa Grasshoppers Michael Frey Young Boys Embolo Basel
Looks like the team is Sommers. Benaglio has announced that he will no longer play International matches for Switzerland. One of the best keepers ever for Switzerland.
Very surprised by Benaglio's decision. At least two years too early in my opinion. Must be family related. Sommer is a great replacement but Benaglio was also very important off the field as a leader. Oh well, he must have his reasons. All the best and thanks for everything Diego!
It's usually family related (as you well know) viz your relative lack of apperances on here since fatherhood. Given Switzerland's rise up the FIFA rankings with DB as 'keeper I hope his non-availability doesn't start their downward trend. GK is the most important person (apart from the ref) on the field of play. I don't want to go back to the days of Pascolo/Brunner/Stiel...or even Zubi. Ah well, let's get behind Sommer (one way or another) He might need us. Hopefully not!
Can't argue with that. On a separate note, with the bench treatment Stocker is getting at Hertha Mehmedi has solidified his spot.
Here is the squad: Keeper: Yann Sommer (Mönchengladbach/6 matches/0 goals) Roman Bürki (SC Fribourg/0) Marwin Hitz (Augsbourg/0). Defenders: Loris Benito (Benfica Libonne/0) Johan Djourou (SV Hambourg/48/1) Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus Turin/67/5) Ricardo Rodriguez (Wolfsbourg/25/0) Fabian Schär (Basel, 8/3) Philippe Senderos (Aston Villa, 54/5) Steve von Bergen (Young Boys/43/0) Silvan Widmer (Udinese/0). Midfielders and Forwards: Valon Behrami (SV Hambourg/52/2) Josip Drmic (Leverkusen/11/3) Blerim Dzemaili (Napoli/37/2) Gelson Fernandes (Rennes/48/2) Fabian Frei (Basel/4/0) Gökhan Inler (Napoli/77/6) Pajtim Kasami (Olympiakos Pirée/2/1) Admir Mehmedi (SC Fribourg/25/2) Haris Seferovic (Eintracht Francfort/15/2) Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich/37/12) Valentin Stocker (Hertha Berlin/25/3) Granit Xhaka (Mönchengladbach/30/5).
Schwegler continues to be overlooked. If one of the 'established' players doesn't get much playing time at his club he deserves his shot.
Schwegler might have some injury again, didn't play for Hoffenheim. All in all I'm quite satisfied with the roster. Let's see who out of Zuber or Stocker does best in the Bundesliga. Neither played this weekend.
http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-...aign=Feed:+businessinsider+(Business+Insider) Basel should be rocking. I hope the Swiss just bury England.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...erling-have-a-central-swiss-role-9713218.html Another on the Swiss - England match.