Loose out to tighten up Liechtenstein

Former Dortmund star
A former BV Borussia Dortmund player, Loose spent four years with the German giants from 1981-85 before his 12-year career – which also included spells at RW Oberhausen and Fortuna Düsseldorf - was ended through injury. Liechtenstein’s run of results under Loose may not make happy reading, but this has not stopped the 39-year-old from earning an excellent reputation as a promising young coach. Loose would dearly love to remove his side’s also-rans’ tag in 2002, although there was speculation that he might be tempted by a move to Swiss club and FC St. Gallen after their coach Marcel Koller joined Nationalliga A rivals Grasshopper-Club.

Potential upset
Having seen the way that other small European sides like the Faroe Islands have managed to give some of the continent’s footballing giants a scare or two, Loose will be well aware the occasional sensational result is not entirely out of the question for his side. With the defensive tactics he has implemented, there is always the chance Liechtenstein could catch an opponent napping. Having won once under Loose and gained a little confidence, the coach believes that his side could give some of their bigger opponents a good run for their money.

Goal-shy side
Loose’s problem, unfortunately, is getting his side to score goals. The qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals was a tough one for Liechtenstein and they finished rock bottom of Group Seven. With Spain, Austria, Israel and Bosnia providing the opposition, Liechtenstein lost all eight matches, conceding a relatively modest 23 goals but scoring none. Put into context, an average of less than three goals a game conceded, in a difficult group, is not as bad as it first sounds for a country without a domestic league system. Liechtenstein clubs play for a domestic cup only, with FC Vaduz the most successful side of recent years.

High standards
That was little comfort for Loose, however. The coach was furious as his side lost 5-0 against Spain in qualification – a result that many commentators saw as something of a success - which is some indication of his belief in Liechtenstein’s ability to improve and his dedication to raising his side’s expectations. There is no doubt that Loose has a near-impossible task ahead of him as he tries to secure victories with his limited side, but with his sense of belief and tactical nous - plus football watchers’ natural affinity with the underdogs - Europe will doubtless wish him well as Liechtenstein look to progress.