FEISTY YOUNG SIDE SHATTER Switzerland STEREOTYPES
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Sports SATURDAY, JUNE 7 , 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL Erratic France Feisty young side shatter slowly rediscover Switzerland stereotypes their pedigree BERNE: A young side drawn mainly from immigrant backgrounds, Under former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, their PARIS: Four years after making fools of themselves in Switzerland’s World Cup team is about as far removed from the prospects are better than at the previous two tournaments and they South Africa, France have regained their credibility and stereotyped image of the Alpine nation as it is possible to get. While should be a far more entertaining proposition than their dour, can even realistically contemplate making a major impact the Swiss are often regarded as reserved, diplomatic and predictable, defense-orientated predecessors. at the World Cup finals. In 2010, Les Bleus went on strike their national side is a feisty outfit with a surprising amount of flair. They open their campaign against Ecuador in Brasilia on June 15, in support of Nicolas Anelka, who had been kicked out of Stephan Lichtsteiner and hard-tackling captain Gokhan Inler never then meet France in Salvador on June 20 and Honduras in Manaus the squad for insulting coach Raymond Domenech, and shy away from a battle while the impish skills of Xherdan Shaqiri could on June 25. As nearly all of their players are based in top European exited the competition in the first round. Laurent Blanc make him one of the finals’ most exciting players. leagues those matches will not unduly faze them. Fullback took the team to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals but off-field The make-up of the team has changed beyond recognition over Lichtsteiner is at Juventus, Napoli boast the midfield trio of Inler, problems again got in the way and the French players the past few years as the national federation, which runs one of Blerim Dzemaili and Valon Behrami and the Bundesliga contingent were lambasted for their childish behavior. It has taken Europe’s most impressive youth development programs, has tapped includes Djourou, Shaqiri, goalkeeper Diego Benaglio and midfield- into the potential offered by Switzerland’s immigrant communities. er Granit Xhaka. Switzerland may have problems at the back, how- new coach Didier Deschamps less than two years to More than half the squad hail from immigrant backgrounds. Many ever, where Philippe Senderos and Djourou have struggled for form transform the squad and their image. “They can go far,” are from families who fled to Switzerland from Kosovo during the at their clubs. They are prone to lapses, such as squandering a three- said former France forward Youri Djorkaeff, a member of 1990s while midfielder Gelson Fernandes was born in the Cape Verde goal lead in a 4-4 draw at home to Iceland, but young forwards such the World Cup-winning team in 1998. Islands and Johan Djourou in Ivory Coast. as Josip Drmic, Admir Mehmedi and Haris Seferovic give them bite. “Winning the World Cup might be complicated but I Although they missed out on Euro 2012, when the team was in a Hitzfeld’s team went through an admittedly easy qualifying group think they have recovered the panache, the desire, the transitional period, Switzerland will be going to their third successive unbeaten and, with England, are one of only two teams to have stability that can help them go through the group phase World Cup, an excellent record for a small country especially consider- beaten Brazil since Luiz Felipe Scolari took over as coach in and challenge the best teams.” France, drawn in Group E ing that football is less popular than ice hockey and Alpine skiing. November 2012.—Reuters with Switzerland, Honduras and Ecuador, should claim top spot. Since 1998, the erratic French have either reached the final or failed to win a game at the World Cup. The official FIFA World Cup rankings for their last four World Cup finals appearances bear that point out perfectly: 1st in 1998, 28th in 2002, 2nd in 2006, 29th in 2010. If that pattern is repeated they are due to reach the final again this time, but a semi-final appearance might be a more likely target if they click as they can. Turning point And their qualifying campaign was a microcosm of their ability to turn out Jekyll and Hyde performances. After a series of indifferent matches in the regular cam- paign, the playoff against Ukraine was the turning point. The qualifying campaign was disappointing but victory in the playoffs gave a hint of a better future, when the Stade de France crowd finally backed their team unreservedly. After a 2-0 defeat in Kiev, Deschamps dumped defender Eric Abidal and midfielder Samir Nasri for the return leg. Les Bleus played fearlessly as centre-back Mamadou Sakho scored two goals with a resurgent Karim Benzema netting the other to guarantee a last- gasp passage to Brazil. “Something strong happened. Most of them had no happy memories with France,” said Deschamps. “Now it’s part of their history, it changes a lot of things.” Sports daily L’Equipe, who wondered on their front page after the first leg if France were the “worst team” in SUZHOU: People look at a small exhibition themed in FIFA World Cup 2014 in a shopping mall in Suzhou, east China’s history, made a U-turn after the second game with the Jiangsu province. Brazil is hosting its first World Cup since 1950 from 12 June to July 13, 2014.— AFP headline “Respect”. A team which had no clear direction on the pitch, France now rely on a stable midfield consist- ing of Yohan Cabaye, Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi, a England rely on youngsters, luck perfect launching pad for the attacking trio of Mathieu Valbuena, Franck Ribery and Benzema. Ribery, one of the LONDON: One of the most telling moments of England’s World naments has been muted and it would surprise few if they left players sanctioned over the South Africa debacle, failed Cup build-up came off the pitch, away from the players, crowds before the knockout stages start on June 28. to sparkle at Euro 2012 but he has been beaming on and and live TV cameras on the night of a labored 1-0 win over off the pitch since then, although he has been suffering Denmark at Wembley in March. Denmark coach Morten Olsen, Young talent from back pains recently. completing his post-match news conference turned back to the Manager Roy Hodgson, 66, has been careful to avoid talking up Benzema went through a scoring drought but mass of reporters as he left the auditorium and shouted: “Good England’s prospects too much. It is not that he has been getting Deschamps kept the faith, which was eventually repaid luck in the World Cup - you need it!” As well as producing howls his excuses in early - he has just been wary about raising unrealis- when the Real Madrid striker finally hit his stride in the of spontaneous laughter, it crystallized in nine words what most tic hopes. On the one hand, he has a squad full of exciting young blue jersey. The 26-year-old, who has brushed aside the people think about England’s return to the land of their greatest talents such as Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling, Arsenal pair Alex soccer humiliation - it is doomed to failure. Even the chairman of Oxlade-Chamberlain and the injury-prone Jack Wilshere as well as claims of Olivier Giroud to become the first-choice striker, the Football Association Greg Dyke does not appear to think promising Southampton duo Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw. He has netted four times in his last five appearances. France’s much of their chances. can also call on seasoned veterans like captain Steven Gerrard, rejuvenation has come at the expense of promising play- At the draw for the finals in December, when England were Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. But, he warned: “We are in a ers like Hatem Ben Arfa and Nasri, the latter possibly pay- grouped with four-times champions Italy, twice winners Uruguay tough group with two former world champions who are rated as ing for his reputation as a troublemaker. The team are and stubborn Central American middleweights Costa Rica, Dyke highly as we are, so it’s like having three seeds in the group. “But it already preparing for Euro 2016, which will be played in was caught on camera grimacing and making a throat-slitting is an interesting group and I think we are helped by the realisation France. Young players such as centre-back Raphael gesture. He later back-tracked, brushing it off as a joke, but there from everyone that is not an easy group. “That, I think, is an advan- Varane and Pogba are showing with Real Madrid and are, nonetheless, real fears about 1966 world champions England tage. People at home know their World Cup history, they know Juventus they have what it takes to drive the side for- failing to make it out of the group stage, which has only hap- that European teams have never succeeded in South America. ward.— Reuters pened twice before, in 1950 and 1958. For once the hyperbole They know there are 32 highly motivated teams out there and that that normally surrounds England’s chances ahead of major tour- means there really are no easy games.”—Reuters.