Kuhn gets tough by dropping Vogel
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Article summary
Coach Jakob Kuhn has reacted to divisions in the Switzerland squad by dropping captain Johann Vogel with no chance of a speedy return for the 30-year-old.
Article body
Captain Johann Vogel received an unexpected birthday surprise today when he was dropped from the Switzerland squad with no chance of a speedy return.
'No unity'
Coach Jakob Kuhn said in a statement that he was planning for UEFA EURO 2008™ without the Real Betis Balompié midfielder, having omitted Vogel from a 24-man squad to play friendlies against Jamaica and Colombia in the United States later this month. "The chemistry on and off the pitch has not been right for some time now," Kuhn said. "I had to take this step because the unity has not been there and you need unity to beat top-class opponents."
'Disputes'
Vogel, who turned 30 today, was told of the decision during a telephone call from his 63-year-old coach. The statement said the former Grasshopper-Club, PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan midfielder reacted "very emotionally" to the news, but Kuhn all but ruled out a return as preparations intensify for next summer's UEFA European Championship on home soil. "My job is to lead as compact a team as possible to the finals. I can only accept disputes among the players for so long," he said.
World Cup
Vogel has won 94 caps for his country, having appeared as a teenager at EURO '96™ in England. He also captained Switzerland to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where they exited without conceding a goal and also became the first team in the competition's history not to score a penalty in a shoot-out.
Switzerland squad
Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (CD Nacional), Fabio Coltorti (Grasshopper-Club), Pascal Zuberbühler (Neuchâtel Xamax FC).
Defenders: Valon Behrami (S.S. Lazio), Philipp Degen (BV Borussia Dortmund), Johan Djourou (Arsenal FC), Philipp Senderos (Arsenal FC), Stéphane Grichting (AJ Auxerre), Ludovic Magnin (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Müller (Olympique Lyonnais), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), Stephan Lichtsteiner (LOSC Lille Métropole), Boris Smiljanic (FC Basel 1893).
Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Ricardo Cabanas (1. FC Köln), Blerim Dzemaili (FC Zürich), Gökhan Inler (FC Zürich), Xavier Margairaz (FC Zürich), Hakan Yakin (BSC Young Boys), David Degen (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach).
Forwards: Marco Streller (VfB Stuttgart), Alexander Frei (BV Borussia Dortmund), Johan Vonlanthen (FC Salzburg), Alberto Regazzoni (FC Sion).
