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Switzerland Team Information
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Switzerland - Team Profile
30/03/2006
The host of the 2008 European Championships (jointly with Austria) qualified for their first World Cup finals since USA '94 after an intense play-off game against Turkey. After winning 2-0 at home they scraped through in Istanbul by virtue of their away goals in a 4-2 defeat.
Coached by Jakob Kuhn since 2001 they have a mix of experience and youth, are organised and capable of springing a surprise at these championships. The team revolves around Johann Vogel, the AC Milan midfielder who nearly signed for Manchester United in the January transfer window. A defensive player he sets the tone for the side. Arsenal's multi-linguist Phillipe Senderos who has established himself at the Gunners over the past two years is an important member of the defensive line which could include ex-Liverpool player, now with Wigan, Stephane Henchoz..
Other notable players include Marco Streller who plays for Stuttgart but is currently on loan to Cologne. Valon Behrami plays in Italy for Lazio and scored vital goals in the qualifying campaign and Alexander Frei who has been a key factor in Rennes push for a Champions League spot in the French League.
The German league provides plenty of players in the squad with Phillip Degen (Dortmund), Ludovic Magnin (Stuttgart), Tranquillo Barnetta (Leverkusen), Raphael Wicky (Hamburg) and Ricardo Cabanas (Cologne).
With an easy looking group on paper, the Swiss will be confident of progressing to at least to the second round though much will depend on the their French-based striking duo Alexander Frei and Lille's Daniel Gygax.