Lets put the Swiss team into perspective

[geysir]

I agree with FarBeag, I don't know where all this optimism about beating the Swiss 3-0 or 4-0 is coming from. It can't be based on ours or the Swiss record in this qualifying group nor can it be based on our head to head record against the Swiss.
Maybee there is a black hole in my brain, but when have we ever looked like trouncing the Swiss in our last 3 games with them or trounced any team 3 or 4 nil in the last 3 years? (do I hear Canada).
Why all of a sudden should we start now? What evidence is there that this is a realistic outcome?
One factor is that the Swiss league players will be sharp enough with their summer games.
What looks in our favour is the way the games are scheduled, the Swiss will come here a few days after their home game to the French. For any team that is quite a haul. The bookies last time I looked favour the Swiss over the Irish. They are a reasonable team, so are we, if we play to 60% or 70% then we will win. if we play like we did for most of the game against Israel we will win.

[Stuttgart88]

I think there's cause for optimism in that the Swiss seem stronger at home than away. The nearly fluffed it in the Faroes, drew 2-2 in Israel & based on comment on this board were much the inferior team. A 0-0 in Paris isn't to be scoffed at obviously, (but ours was better )

But in the Euro 2004 group they lost 4 or 5-1 in Russia when it mattered and struggled in Albania & Georgia if I remember. They did absolutely NOTHING to beat us in Dublin. Gary Breen went AWOL just before HT and they barely saw the ball in the second half from what I can remember.

We'll still need to play well to beat them but I also think they may draw against Israel & France at home & I have a hunch Cyprus may sneal something in September.

Did anyone see France against Hungary recently? Impressive or otherwise? 2-1 hardly sends the fear of God into you. Good result for us as it takes the heat off Domenech. Do France play a friendly in August? The last thing we need is the French getting a shot in the arm with a new manager in Dublin.

[eirebhoy]

The bookies last time I looked favour the Swiss over the Irish.

Nah, we're still 2nd favourites after France:
http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/m...04x/sid/192684

Do France play a friendly in August?

Yeah, Argentina at home. Same day as us, 17th.

[eirebhoy]

Hakan Yakin has joined Young Boys:
http://skysports.planetfootball.com/...icle&id=283666

[Robitaille]

Hi people, i am a Swiss fan and came by chance some time ago into this forum.
Being Ireland one of our opponents, I am interested in what your thoughts are.
From what i read, you look quite confident to beat us. Well, I am not here to make you change idea. I don't know who is better, probably Ireland, at least on FIFA rankings.

One of you said that Ireland are improving, while Switzerland are getting downwards. I don't know about you, but I'll tell you our team is improving.

Last year at the Euro '04 in Portugal our performances were poor, at least in matters of result. Our displays against CRO, ENG and FRA were good, only goals were not coming..
However, there were plenty of reasons for those results:
- Murat (Basel) and Hakan Yakin (Stuttgart/Galatasaray) had only played few games before. Murat injured and Hakan not finding a place in the starting eleven of Stuttgart.
- Magnin (Werder Bremen) injury-prone
- Wicky (Hamburg) and Vogel (PSV, now Milan) were injured too in spring 04, if I am not wrong
- Henchoz (?), Cabanas (now Grasshoppers) and Haas (?) were struggling to have a chance at their teams. Cabanas was not used in his usual position and didn't make it, so he decided to be back in Switz. in January 2004, but he was then only the shadow of itself. Henchoz and Haas you know probably better than me how their (bad) perfs were
- Streller (our 2nd best striker) got injured just before Euro 04

I don't know what we could have done with all the players fit and available, I have no answer, only "if", and "if" don't bring us that far. All in all, we wouldn't have probably make it even if we played better.

But after that, many things has changed. First of all we put not less than 7 young players in the national team:
- Senderos ('85 Arsenal) Ziegler ('86 Tottenham), Degen ('83 next season Borussia Dortmund), Rochat ('83 next season Rennes, 4th in the French league), Barnetta ('85 Hannover, next year Bayer Leverkusen), Vonlanthen ('86 PSV, Brescia) and Margairaz ('84 Zurich). More over, Marco Streller '81 of Stuttgart is back after his injury.
Those players have all made Switzerland a bit better, especially Senderos, Degen (playing instead of Haas), Barnetta and this year's revelation Xavier Margairaz, who did well in his first international match and I bet will quite soon get a contract abroad. And also having back Streller is very positive, because Vonlanthen is still too young (born '86).
Then I can add other players joined recently clubs in important championships abroad: Ch. Spycher ('78) will play for Eintracht Frankfurt, Gygax ('81) and Lichtsteiner ('84) will play for Lille (2nd in the French League), Ch. Schwegler ('84) for Arminia Bielefeld (German league). And Behrami ('85) will join a Serie-A club (Palermo maybe)

Our main concern is now Hakan Yakin, who signed in these days for Young Boys Berne. He hopefully get to play and be back at his old perfs. His brother Murat has recovered from injury and he will be hopefully ready in September too.

I am confident that in September and October most of our players will be available (apart from Haas injured and Henchoz if he cant manage to find a club to play for).

I don't know if we are good enough to win at Lansdowne. I don't believe you will beat us easily, but I guess a lot will depend on how many points we have before this final match. I make no prediction, just may the best win!

[Green Tribe]

Welcome Robitaille!

I really hope your team does not spoil qualification for us AGAIN Israel have already rocked the boat I cannot believe how close the group is even at such a late stage...I hope the pattern continues that Switzerland are weak away, but it will not be an easy game, i think we'll need full effort, but we should win. best of luck...

[jorge]

Their most effective player has joined an average swiss team so if we dont beat them then...

[thejollyrodger]

what about us ? we have young aiden mac geady to come in and that fella who plays for arsenal. they are great attacking players and with duff robbie (and possibly elliott if he turns out to be good) we really have a decent attacking 4.

Elliott might be able to come on from the bench and get a goal or help change the game.

Mc Geady might do likewise in the next WCQ'ers

[Stuttgart88]

but I'll tell you our team is improving.

Interesting post.

How come Switzerland found it so hard to beat Cyprus at home? Or was that just a blip?

[thejollyrodger]

Switzerland will collapse when then play France at home and then travel to Dublin in a matter of 4 short days !!

[Feech]

I am an Irishman who lives in Switzerland and I really can't believe what I'm reading here.

I remember the same kind of nonsense about the Swiss being crap and that Ireland would beat them in Dublin being posted here, oh, less than 2 years ago.

The Swiss did not have a great Euro 2004 but you know what, they were there because they finished higher than Ireland in the qualifying group - that is how you qualify, not by seething at TV screens saying that should be us because we're great craic.

I follow the Swiss league and it is a hell of a lot better than people are making out. (A bit similar to a lot of Irish people's comments about their own league which the majority of people never go to). The lack of knowledge about the Swiss team is evident in comments about the Yakins - there are plenty of other players Ireland should be worried about than one just coming back from injury (who by the way scored a goal from inside his own half on the last day of the season - did that show up on your betting website?) and one who has been shunted around Europe through no fault of his own.

Maybe Ireland will beat them, but it will be the same Ireland team which has already dropped 4 points to Israel, a team you all surely less highly rate.

What I'm saying is, this is going to go down to the wire and anyone who thinks it will be a cakewalk should just remember the Swiss victories in both Basel and Landsdowne before they get too carried away.

If you really want to talk about players on an individual basis, remember the options Kerr had for his substitution against Israel - someone who has never played at the highest level or an unfit player.

Read that Swiss guy's post again - the Swiss foreign legion are playing in a lot of top leagues, and there are some in the Swiss league who can also make the step up no problem.

Rant over.

[FarBeag]

well said, i am with you on that one.

[Stuttgart88]

Player for player we shouldn't have been worried about Israel either. Home or away.

I still can't understand why they only beat Cyprus in 90th inute though. What was that all about Feech? Should we be worried by a team that can only manage that type of result? What about the 4-1 defeat in Russia when it counted in 2003?

[onenilgameover]

Player for player we shouldn't have been worried about Israel either. Home or away.

I still can't understand why they only beat Cyprus in 90th inute though. What was that all about Feech? Should we be worried by a team that can only manage that type of result? What about the 4-1 defeat in Russia when it counted in 2003?

Wed, Sept 10
Russia 4 v Switzerland 1

Russia is not an easy place to go...look what happened to us there...also they did win the group...and when it really counted they did us over...Mick Mc Carty hangover excuses don't count IMO........

[Stuttgart88]

and when it really counted they did us over...Mick Mc Carty hangover excuses don't count IMO........

I think it was a factor in Dublin, as was gary Breen's defending, but definitely not in Basle I agree.

[thejollyrodger]

sounds like your living in heidi country for too long Feech. Obviosuly your beliving the hype the swiss media are pumping out cos its all a load of wánk. there is nothing in that switzerland team that is going to cause us any problems when the come to lansdowne. There crap, they have an average league but are no world beaters.

Fair enough, were mediocre as well with only 3 good players but we can beat anyone at home.

[carnstien]

--------Given
Kelly, Cunningham, Breen, Harte
Holland, Kinsella, Healy, Kilbane,
------Duff, Keane.

God that team really was shockingly bad. The only midfielder actually capable of creating anything was played out of position up front. It really was obvious Mick's time had come.

Todays team should destroy that side and I think if Kerr selects out strongest 11 against the Swiss (which he won't but if he comes close enough) we should easily overcome them.

[eirebhoy]

Feech - I'm sorry if I offended you but imo Switzerland are on par with Israel. Both are good teams though of course. When a team is being underrated I tend to build them up. If a team is being overrated I play them down. Thats just my way. If everyone was saying we're going to beat the Swiss I'd be trying to say exactly what you just said.

Anyway, its not Yakin's fault that he can't get a club. Of course it bloody well is. If he was playing better he'd be getting the club. And the league is poor on international standards, full stop. So is the Eircom league, I don't think anyone would deny that.

[Gerrit]

sounds like your living in heidi country for too long Feech. Obviosuly your beliving the hype the swiss media are pumping out cos its all a load of wánk. there is nothing in that switzerland team that is going to cause us any problems when the come to lansdowne. There crap, they have an average league but are no world beaters.

Fair enough, were mediocre as well with only 3 good players but we can beat anyone at home.

I hope Ireland wins the game, but you underestimate the players of Switzerland, and that's very dangerous. Hope Kerr and the players don't do the same, or the "Heidi country" boys could bring lot of people back with their two feet on earth.
By the way, the classic Heidi character is from Tirol, which is in Austria.

[stojkovic]

By the way, the classic Heidi character is from Tirol, which is in Austria.

Er ..no she's not ;

"Johanna Spyri's classic story of a young orphan sent to live with her grumpy grandfather in the Swiss Alps is retold in it's entirety in this beautifully bound hardcover edition. Heidi has charmed and intrigued readers since it's original publication in 1880"