SWITZERLAND TEAM PROFILE : Swiss mount the heights

Köbi Kuhn's Switzerland side did not go into the qualifiers for UEFA EURO 2004™ with much of a reputation, but they emerged with considerable credit as Group 10 winners.

Underperforming opponents
Cynics might suggest that Switzerland's success in the group was as much down to their more illustrious peers - Russia and the Republic of Ireland - underperforming dramatically than any inherent brilliance in their squad, but the Alpine nation nonetheless boast the makings of a fine team.

Resurgent nation
A Swiss triumph at the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the emergence of FC Basel as a major European force in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League was a good indication that Swiss football was on the up again after a long spell in the doldrums. Fittingly, it was in Basel's Saint Jakob Park that Kühn's side finally won qualification with a 2-0 win against the Irish.

Change of goalkeeper
In goal, the veteran Jörg Stiel has taken over from the experienced Pascal Zuberbühler in more recent qualifying games, but whoever gets the nod in the finals will be able to have faith in a very strong central defensive partnership.

Defensive partnership
Basel's Murat Yakin tends to lead the line in defence with his preferred partner Patrick Müller having forced Liverpool FC's Stéphane Henchoz out of contention over the course of the campaign. However, a tendency to ship a few goals when they have an off day is an indication of the concerns over Kühn's defensive options elsewhere.

Shielding role
Fortunately, the Swiss are able to rely up support from midfield, with PSV Eindhoven Johann Vogel acting as a defensive shield in midfield, to give free reign to the more attack-minded Richard Cabanas and Raphael Wicky, who was in particularly splendid form in that final 2-0 victory in Basel.

Dangerous Yakin
Up front, Basel's Hakan Yakin - brother of defender Murat - is the man to look out for. Playing in a slightly withdrawn role behind a front two, he has plenty of craft about him and a useful knack for scoring goals as well as supplying them. He opened the scoring in the game against Ireland after just six minutes.

Veteran striker
The preferred front two boasts the evergreen Stéphane Chapuisat who has been the mainstay of the Swiss attack for a number of years. Despite approaching his mid-30s, the striker remains a potent threat and, with Yakin's presence guaranteeing some space for the two main strikers to work with, he continues to score goals and cause opposition defences problems.

Young pretender
However, the real danger man during the qualifying campaign was Alexander Frei. A full ten years younger than Chapuisat, the striker has struggled to find the net for his French club side Stade Rennnais FC but cannot stop scoring for Switzerland. He averaged a goal every other game in qualifying, including two in a 2-2 home draw against Russia.

Fluctuating form
Performances in 2003 were not quite on a par with those at the start of their campaign, when a 2-1 win in Ireland marked their rise to the top of their qualifying group. Indeed, there was some cause for concern in the performance in Moscow which saw Kühn's ripped apart by a reinvigorated Russia to lose their only qualifying game of the campaign 4-1.

Team spirit
However, with a good few months to work on their big-match temperament before the kick-off in Portugal, Kühn will be hoping that his side can rediscover the determination - and receive some of the good fortune - that saw them reach the finals.

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