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MC Prussian

Swiss Football on a high

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Yes. It's a small country. And for many, many years, when you were talking about Switzerland and sports, you would have probably come up with skiing and (maybe) hockey.

But there has always been quite a good football environment. Grasshoppers Zurich (1996/97) and FC Basle (2002/2003) have previously participated in the Champions League. FC Zurich and Neuchatel Xamax are also no no-names for UEFA Cup insiders.

And now, in the 2005/2006 season, we're on a roll again. Or for the first time?

sui-thun-fc.gif

FC Thun is a part of the Champions League Season. After kicking out Ukrainian heavyweights Dynamo Kyiev 3-2 and Swedish champions Malmo FF 4-0 on aggregate they will now play against Arsenal FC, Ajax Amsterdam and Sparta Prague in Group B. They are very likeable, have no star players, it's all based on teamwork. Although Lustrinelli, Bernardi or Gerber stand out in the squad. They will play in the brand-new Stade de Suisse Arena in Berne, which has a capacity of 32'000.

sui-basel-fc.gif

Though current Swiss champions FC Basle lost to Werder Bremen 2-4 on aggregate, they will be a real threat in this year's UEFA Cup. They have an excellent trainer (Gross, who coached Tottenham a while ago) a wonderful stadium and an established squad.

sui-grasshopper-club-zurich.gif

sui-zurich-fc.gif

Then there are two more clubs from the economic capital, Zurich. The Grasshoppers as well as the FC Zurich are both going strong in this year's UEFA Cup competition, after kicking out Polish sides Legia Warszawa 5-1 (FCZ) and Plock 3-3 (Grasshoppers with two lucky away goals).

sui.gif

Plus, the national squad is in a very good position to participate at the 2006 World Championship in Germany. We are in a tough group with France, Ireland and Israel and currently on the number two spot behind the Republic of Ireland, but with one game in hand.

The UEFA 5-year-rating will surely go up for my little homecountry this time... :smile:

There's an awful lot of Swiss players in foreign leagues:

ENGLAND

Arsenal London with Senderos and Djourou

Tottenham Hotspur with Thomas Ziegler

Wigan Athletic with Stephane Henchoz

Elmer is under observation by Chelsea FC.

NETHERLANDS

NAC Breda with Vonlanthen

RC Walwijk with Keller

FRANCE

Stade Rennais FC with Frei (last season's topscorer in the French Ligue 1) and Rochat

OSC Lille with Gygax and Lichtsteiner

UC Le Mans with Chiumiento

FC Sochaux with Lonfat and Buehler

AJ Auxerre with Grichting

SPAIN

UD Levante with Celestini

ITALY

AC Fiorentina with Aquilanti and Zambrella

AC Milan with Vogel

GERMANY

1.FC Kaiserslautern with Sforza

1. FC Nuremberg with Cantaluppi

Arminia Bielefeld with Schwegler

Bayer Leverkusen with Barnetta

Borussia Dortmund with Degen

Eintracht Frankfurt with Huggel and Spycher

Hamburger SV with Wicky

VfB Stuttgart with Magnin and Streller

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Guest Michal

You were really lucky with Plock there tonight and especially lucky that Legia is in deep crisis (before the game 11 players from their total squad couldn't play!)...

that also means that Poland was unlucky, because we are right behind you in the UEFA rankings... Or should I say were? :/

We seem to be loosing distance.

Not that I underappreciate Swiss acheivements at the moment, but I think that it's a whole-european rise of level. I've seen some of the team play and I don't mean just Patrzalka/Artmedia, Rapid or FC Thun... thank God that applies also to our teams (excluding Legia :P ). I think that there are no more "waiters" in the Cups in general, though it will be hard for people from the "big football countries" to remember some names of clubs from a bit exotic regions...

We (in terms of club football) are competing- meaning Poland and Switzerland- but still I wish you further luck and who knows if clubs from Zurich won't clash with the remaining Polish sides still this season...

Cheers :)

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Sounds good. Your putting a lot of emphasis on youth I hear? Seems to be paying off with players like Senderos.

163596[/snapback]

Yep. It seems like the years of hard work are finally paying off. The youth system has been improved heavily in the past decade and I am content to see this positive development.

As a bonus, here some more pics of our most beautiful stadiums:

geneve_stade2.jpg

Stade De Geneve, Geneva (Servette FC)

bern_wankdorf2.jpg

Stade De Suisse/Wankdorf, Berne (Young Boys Berne)

zurich_letzigrund.jpg

Letzigrund, Zurich (FC Zurich)

basel_st_jakob2.jpg

St. Jakob Park, Basle (FC Basle)

locarno_lido.jpg

Stadio Lido, Locarno (AC Locarno)

lausanne_pontaise.jpg

Stade Olympique De La Pontaise, Lausanne (Lausanne-Sports)

sion_tourbillon.jpg

Stade Tourbillon, Sion/Sitten (FC Sion/Sitten)

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You were really lucky with Plock there tonight and especially lucky that Legia is in deep crisis (before the game 11 players from their total squad couldn't play!)...

that also means that Poland was unlucky, because we are right behind you in the UEFA rankings...  Or should I say were? :/

We seem to be loosing distance.

Not that I underappreciate Swiss acheivements at the moment, but I think that it's a whole-european rise of level. I've seen some of the team play and I don't mean just Patrzalka/Artmedia, Rapid or FC Thun... thank God that applies also to our teams (excluding Legia :P ). I think that there are no more "waiters" in the Cups in general, though it will be hard for people from the "big football countries" to remember some names of clubs from a bit exotic regions...

We (in terms of club football) are competing- meaning Poland and Switzerland- but still I wish you further luck and who knows if clubs from Zurich won't clash with the remaining Polish sides still this season...

Cheers :)

163625[/snapback]

Hey welcome, mate. Nice to have another new European face on here! Excellent comment, btw. I am not a particular fan of the Grasshoppers (most football fans in Switzerland dislike them totally) but I appreciate the success they have at the moment. They were lucky to get that 2nd goal 7 minutes before the end, and their goalie also made an excellent save in the closing phase. In addition, FC Zurich was also heavily influenced by the absence of several players, most of them injured. Plus, they lost their star player in Gygax a while ago (he is now with French side OSC Lille).

It is wonderful to have new teams, new faces and new places in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup this year.

Yes, you're right. (Football) Europe is changing. Which adds by far more excitement than never before. I just hoped FC Basle would have eliminated Bremen out of the competition. You know, Germans and football... Hah! :P

Hope to hear from you again in the near future, Michal! Greetings to Poland and just the best for the World Championships. Unfortunately, they take place in a very nasty country called THEUTSHLANDT!!! lol

Cheers as well! G'iver!

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Guest Michal

About the awfulness of the country WC2006 takes place- tell Poles about it! :P

My grandma sure did remember them well... And she tought me how to react when I hear name of that country :D . But I am trying to be tolerant... my progress istn't too impressive though.

Like it or not, it's THE chance to take for most Poles- it won't happen any closer so as soon as our Eagles go through (assuming they will of course...) ze Germans will face an invasion from the east lol.

I've seen Basel go and :blink: a real shock! If Werder haven't got Klasnic they would have had their arse severly kicked! That's really great piece of football. I seriously hope that Wisla won't meet Basel too soon as it would be a shame to see any of those two leave UEFA Cup too soon! but there are disadvantages to the improvements in European football quality- Polish teams get kicked sooner and sooner every year :angry: which is their fault I guess, but still is depressing.

Heh, I guess we have more in commonn than we would suppose- hosting the Euro for example. Although you already have it and we're just trying for the first time. But I believe it is worth it...

Take care!

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There's much more to see in Poland than some people would imagine (se Germans? lol ). Warszawa must be a wonderful city to live in, lots of old buildings. Is the Solidarnosz still going strong? Lech Walesa?

For me in particular, I know that Lodz hosts an excellent film school (where Polanski comes from). I read an article in a Swiss magazine and it must be quite hard to be allowed to study there! I had to settle for another great country, and here I am in Canada! ;)

Poland must be beautiful. My grandma's family lived close to Koenigsberg, Prussia, when she was younger. Then came the Russians (another weird species lol ), my grandma had to flee (via Danzig/Gdansk, Denmark, Germany and finally, Switzerland). But look at it this way: If the Russians hadn't come, I wouldn't be here at all... lol

On this occasion: Kargyla! lol But Kaliningrad must be quite a mess right now, thanks to the Soviet Union! All the ancient buildings were torn down and replaced by cheap, ugly Communist propaganda houses! :ermm:

I just remember my grandma talking about that beautiful, open countryside. Lots of forests. My family used to have horses.

I have never been to Poland. Maybe a place to go in the future, who knows? You speak German? I know it's not that inspiring, but we had to learn it in school... lol

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Just been on the 606 Arsenal messageboard. It's full with arrogant and ignorant little w@nkers.

They confuse Switzerland with the Czech Republic!

They have never heard of Thun before!

They predict two easy games and a 8-0 trashing at Highbury!

They think they've got the easiest group of them all!

They are full of glory hunters! (But I already knew that)

They think Dein fixed the draw!

They can't believe that Thun draws more than 31'000 people at the Stade De Suisse!

They want to send Senderos to scout FC Thun!

They think not winning all 6 games will be a major disappointment!

I can only shake my head... :rolleyes:

And I am glad to be a fan of Leicester City FC, where I have gotten to know some very reasonable and open-minded fellas... ;)

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Yes. It's a small country. And for many, many years, when you were talking about Switzerland and sports, you would have probably come up with skiing and (maybe) hockey.

But there has always been quite a good football environment. Grasshoppers Zurich (1996/97) and FC Basle (2002/2003) have previously participated in the Champions League. FC Zurich and Neuchatel Xamax are also no no-names for UEFA Cup insiders.

And now, in the 2005/2006 season, we're on a roll again. Or for the first time?

sui-thun-fc.gif

FC Thun is a part of the Champions League Season. After kicking out Ukrainian heavyweights Dynamo Kyiev 3-2 and Swedish champions Malmo FF 4-0 on aggregate they will now play against Arsenal FC, Ajax Amsterdam and Sparta Prague in Group B. They are very likeable, have no star players, it's all based on teamwork. Although Lustrinelli, Bernardi or Gerber stand out in the squad. They will play in the brand-new Stade de Suisse Arena in Berne, which has a capacity of 32'000.

sui-basel-fc.gif

Though current Swiss champions FC Basle lost to Werder Bremen 2-4 on aggregate, they will be a real threat in this year's UEFA Cup. They have an excellent trainer (Gross, who coached Tottenham a while ago) a wonderful stadium and an established squad.

sui-grasshopper-club-zurich.gif

sui-zurich-fc.gif

Then there are two more clubs from the economic capital, Zurich. The Grasshoppers as well as the FC Zurich are both going strong in this year's UEFA Cup competition, after kicking out Polish sides Legia Warszawa 5-1 (FCZ) and Plock 3-3 (Grasshoppers with two lucky away goals).

sui.gif

Plus, the national squad is in a very good position to participate at the 2006 World Championship in Germany. We are in a tough group with France, Ireland and Israel and currently on the number two spot behind the Republic of Ireland, but with one game in hand.

The UEFA 5-year-rating will surely go up for my little homecountry this time... :smile:

There's an awful lot of Swiss players in foreign leagues:

ENGLAND

Arsenal London with Senderos and Djourou

Tottenham Hotspur with Thomas Ziegler

Wigan Athletic with Stephane Henchoz

Elmer is under observation by Chelsea FC.

NETHERLANDS

NAC Breda with Vonlanthen

RC Walwijk with Keller

FRANCE

Stade Rennais FC with Frei (last season's topscorer in the French Ligue 1) and Rochat

OSC Lille with Gygax and Lichtsteiner

UC Le Mans with Chiumiento

FC Sochaux with Lonfat and Buehler

AJ Auxerre with Grichting

SPAIN

UD Levante with Celestini

ITALY

AC Fiorentina with Aquilanti and Zambrella

AC Milan with Vogel

GERMANY

1.FC Kaiserslautern with Sforza

1. FC Nuremberg with Cantaluppi

Arminia Bielefeld with Schwegler

Bayer Leverkusen with Barnetta

Borussia Dortmund with Degen

Eintracht Frankfurt with Huggel and Spycher

Hamburger SV with Wicky

VfB Stuttgart with Magnin and Streller

163568[/snapback]

You sound like Steven!.

The Swiss are always so understated yet have a penchant for sport.

There's not many of em yet they had one of the biggest standing armies in Europe as I recall, all had to do military service and are a people with the discipline to practice and to concentrate.

Being skiers from infancy in many cases, they soon develop courage and balance plus, being in a mountainous country (and with the military training) it is easy to be strong, fit and lithe.

I was based in Geneva, Basel and Zurich for a while and recall noticing the cities seemed empty from Friday-Monday because everyone was heading for the ski-slopes.

Keeps the body well toned does skiing (my girlfriend out there was fitness personified and a skier to behold) and the Swiss lifestyle easily adapts to others things they excel at like football, racket sports, shooting, Alpine events etc.

Cracking country and a good role model cos they get on with their own lives instead of trying to change the world (apart from a few manipulators in Zurich as I recall).

By the way, it's an aside I know, but I saw a goalkeeper to compare with Shilts in Zurich. It was an Old English Sheepdog which belonged to a guy called Fleischmann.

Anyway his owner kept a ball in his office and the dog would crouch-lie in a double doorway and refuse to move a muscle until the ball was kicked. Then it'd stick out a paw, left or right, and deflect it clear of the goal.

Hardly ever missed no matter how hard to ball was kicked. It also used to watch his owner play squash. Sat on his own in the gallery and its head moved from side to side, up and down watching every single shot no matter how long the game lasted.

Remarkable dog. Remarkable place. Thanks for reviving some wonderful memories.

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Guest Michal
There's much more to see in Poland than some people would imagine (se Germans? lol ). Warszawa must be a wonderful city to live in, lots of old buildings. Is the Solidarnosz still going strong? Lech Walesa?

For me in particular, I know that Lodz hosts an excellent film school (where Polanski comes from). I read an article in a Swiss magazine and it must be quite hard to be allowed to study there! I had to settle for another great country, and here I am in Canada! ;)

Poland must be beautiful. My grandma's family lived close to Koenigsberg, Prussia, when she was younger. Then came the Russians (another weird species lol ), my grandma had to flee (via Danzig/Gdansk, Denmark, Germany and finally, Switzerland). But look at it this way: If the Russians hadn't come, I wouldn't be here at all... lol

On this occasion: Kargyla!  lol But Kaliningrad must be quite a mess right now, thanks to the Soviet Union! All the ancient buildings were torn down and replaced by cheap, ugly Communist propaganda houses! :ermm:

I just remember my grandma talking about that beautiful, open countryside. Lots of forests. My family used to have horses.

I have never been to Poland. Maybe a place to go in the future, who knows? You speak German? I know it's not that inspiring, but we had to learn it in school... lol

163671[/snapback]

Now You got me! Is every Leicester fan as well-educated (and orientated) as You people here are??? :D

My heart is filled with joy after reading this Swissfox!

So a small update:

1. Solidarnosc is just today celebrating it's 25 anniversary with a giant Jean-Michel Jarre show in the Gdansk shipyard when it was born in pain and faith (doestn't that sound trivial?) and IT WAS THE REAL BEGINNING OF THE END OF COMMUNISM which is an unknown fact for people who think it was The Wall...

2. Walesa (thank God) finally understood that he is a great charismatic leader, but no politician and left the politics. Now he goes to places that need liberating ;) like... Ukraine in winter.

3. You know more about Lodz than a statistic Pole I see lol The sad part is: I'm serious, although propably a bit exagerrating.

4. Swissfox- you grandma lived close to Kolobrzeg, don't use these awful names. Most histories about WWII end with "then came the Russians" and a sad face. But we got over it thankfully. Having as much simpathy for them as Scotts have for England...

5. Kaliningrad seems to be developing really fast and looks quite nice, but you're right- the architecture- it's all a relic of comunistic soc-realism. But this will in time gain real historical value...

6. I don't speak German, I spoke once, but when only I could decide on my own I chose French and forgot that language.

7. Poland is definatelly a place to see- I say that not only because I'm a Pole, but because I've been around... Also to Switzerland which made a great impression! I've seen Berno (shame Stade de Suisse Wankdorf Bern wastn't there yet- by the way the name is too long :P ), Geneva (the same with Servette's stadium), Lucern, Zurich and a few smaller places... Talking about nice landscpaes in Poland? Switzerland has a real beauty in those... Besides, great people, great history, I especially enjoyed Berno and the fantastic clock on townhall tower (correct me if I'm wrong- I know about the clock but it was 7 years ago...). The "alpine architecture" is something one must see in his lifetime!

8. But if You are comming to Poland- don't forget Krakow, I study there and I think I couldn't have chosen better! It's simply stunning, although people kill each other in the streets ;) . But it's unwise to come to Poland nd miss Krakow, especially for a footbal fan- seeing a game of Wisla (team I'm fanatically in love ever since I went for the first game) or Cracovia (the team Pope was fanatically in love...) is a nice experience too.

cheers

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You dont mention Servette anywhere in your thread is this intentional?

I know they are in some financial difficulties at the minute but when talking about Swiss football you cannot ignore Servette,arguably the club with the most potential in Switzerland,and the reason why a major European consortium is looking to buy the Club.

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You dont mention Servette anywhere in your thread is this intentional?

I know they are in some financial difficulties at the minute but when talking about Swiss football you cannot ignore Servette,arguably the club with the most potential in Switzerland,and the reason why a major European consortium is looking to buy the Club.

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Well, people , and especially the fans, the "Grenats", in Geneva are quite upset about how it all has developed. The club's aspirations were simply too high, they built an 30'000-seater arena for about 15 million pounds, but it was hardly ever sold out, the average was around 9000 to 10'000 spectators.

Then came along a very blind and ambigous person called Marc Roger who took over presidency with a symbolic act by paying 1 Swiss Franc! He promised new investors (among them a guy from Real Madrid), new players, a Swiss championship within a couple of years.

But it was all just a bubble. The money never came, instead Roger lived in his own dreamworld and ruined one of the most well-known football clubs in Switzerland. Not even the rich Genevan bankiers wanted to save Servette.

The club, now in shambles, was relegated to the "1. Liga" (something like Division One in England) in the middle of last season, most of the players were sold or left the club before it was too late. Roger still faces massive legal charges. W@nker!

I am glad that I support a Swiss football side that has an earnest manager, solid finances and doesn't speculate at all!

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I'm inspired ;)

I'm gonna start a career with a Swiss team on football manager. Got any recomendations?

163749[/snapback]

One is able to manage Swiss teams in the game? Didn't know that. Excellent! Thing is, I have no idea which teams you can play with and what season the game starts with.

The "bigger" teams (or let's say more well-known) this year are:

FC Basle (biggest budget in the league, modern stadium, very good players)

Young Boys Berne (new stadium, squad with potential)

FC Zurich (rich president, nice stadium, young squad)

Grasshoppers Zurich ( :rolleyes: )

FC St. Gallen (nice stadium, good team, solid finances)

The "smaller" clubs:

FC Thun

FC Aarau

FC Schaffhausen (the team from the place I come from)

Yverdon-Sports

Other recommendations (if available):

Servette FC

Lausanne-Sports

AC Lugano

FC Sion

FC Lucerne

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You sound like Steven!.

The Swiss are always so understated yet have a penchant for sport.

There's not many of em yet they had one of the biggest standing armies in Europe as I recall, all had to do military service and are a people with the discipline to practice and to concentrate.

Being skiers from infancy in many cases, they soon develop courage and balance plus, being in a mountainous country (and with the military training) it is easy to be strong, fit and lithe.

I was based in Geneva, Basel and Zurich for a while and recall noticing the cities seemed empty from Friday-Monday because everyone was heading for the ski-slopes.

Keeps the body well toned does skiing (my girlfriend out there was fitness personified and a skier to behold) and the Swiss lifestyle easily adapts to others things they excel at like football, racket sports, shooting, Alpine events etc.

Cracking country and a good role model cos they get on with their own lives instead of trying to change the world (apart from a few manipulators in Zurich as I recall).

163734[/snapback]

What's your job then? Banking business? I met an Englishman in Kelowna a month ago. He works all over the world, always for a couple of months, then is relocated. He is currently stationned in Vancouver...

As for the famous myth about our army, it is true in parts. Everybody is called up for the "test days" where it is decided whether you are able to do military service or not. Most of us are, and the rest does either civil service (woodwork in forests, road cleansing, etc. or help for the aged) or has to pay a replacement fee.

I still have to serve the army until the age of 32. I am a seargent right now, but have no aspirations to move up in the ranks anymore... :cool:

Almost everyone in the army has a) a Swiss Army Knife, b) a rifle or a pistol and c) some very funny stories to tell... lol

I belong to a minority who has never enjoyed skiing. Yes, I don't ski at all! I like snowboarding, but are not really a regular goer. I remember standing on two skis, crying, when I was four years old and after that my parents stopped that experiment! lol Again, it is a popular myth that "all Swiss" go skiing. A big part still does, but the prices have been raised extremely in the past few years. Plus, there has been a certain lack of snow, too.

We're not fitness crazy, it's just that in such a small environment, everything is reachable within an hour or so. Skiing, hiking, jogging, running, football, ice hockey, volleyball, handball, badminton, squash, tennis, swimming, mountain-climbing, wall-climbing... It's all there. Plus, the facilites are mostly quite modern.

Btw, it was the British who brought tourism to Switzerland. St. Moritz and the Canton of Graubuenden were their aim for personal cure in the 19th century.

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Thanks for the info and update. Memories are fading now but eating in the "James Bond" alpine peak restaurant and a lamp and moonlight midnight fondue party at a traditional Swiss ski lodge as we skied the slopes around Grindlewald were two that I'll never forget.

Also leaving the handbrake off on a car I was borrowing and disappearing to do some shopping. The car rolled over 100 yards downhill and umbedded itself in a thick hedgerow. When we got to the car it was only a couple of feet away from going right through the hedge, over the precipice on the other side and onto a block of flats 50 yards below.

That would have taken some explaining to the owner.

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  • 3 weeks later...

FC Thun - I thought they were unlucky to lose against Arsenal! Might cause a few more upsets!

FC Basle - Basle 5 - 0 (1 - 0) Siroki Brijeg

ME Delgado 10

I Ergic 70

ME Delgado 78

A Eduardo Da Silva 85

ME Delgado 88

Grasshoppers -

Grasshoppers 1 - 1 (1 - 1) MyPa

L Rogerio 1 M Manso 20

So it looks as if Basle are through, but Grasshoppers will havea tricky away tie and need to score to have any chance!

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Don't forget FC Zurich. Lost 2-0 to Brondby, but still have a chance to move to the next stage.

90 % chances for Basel

50 % chances for Grasshopppers

20 % chances for FC Zurich.

And if Thun continues to play that well like against Arsenal, they'll surprise a lot of people this year.

Cheers!

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