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Thun shining for Peischl

A bitter winter seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of FC Thun but the Swiss minnows and their new coach could be set to spring another UEFA Cup shock.

Miraculous run
A 1-0 home win against Hamburger SV in the first leg of their UEFA Cup Round of 32 tie marked another stunning result for the side who defied the odds in beating both FC Dynamo Kyiv and Malmö FF to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage last summer.

European triumph
Finishing third in Group B of Europe's premier club competition, thanks to a win and a draw against bottom team AC Sparta Praha, Thun earned their chance in the UEFA Cup, but the cracks were beginning to show as last season's Swiss league runners-up had sunk to sixth in their domestic table at the winter break.

Final analysis
Coach Urs Schönenberger was not surprised. "It was logical that with this squad, we couldn't go much further," he said. Such sentiments may have contributed to the difficult atmosphere at the club, with the tough-talking trainer losing the support of both his players and the management.

Disappointing performance
The winter recess saw key players leave Thun, with defender José Gonçalves heading to Scotland to join Heart of Midlothian FC while forward Mauro Lustrinelli went east to sign for Czech outfit Sparta. When the campaign resumed on 12 February, Thun's 0-0 draw at struggling Neuchâtel Xamax FC impressed no one.

Schönenberger out
Two days later, club president Kurt Weder announced that Thun were ending their association with Schönenberger. "There is not enough trust any more," he said. Former assistant Adrian Kunz took charge for one day before Austrian Heinz Peischl was handed the reins.

Flying start
With a similar coaching outlook to his predecessor, the 42-year-old enjoyed a remarkable debut as Brazilian Adriano Pimenta scored the only goal of the first leg against Hamburg. He then came close to winning his first league match, the Bernese derby against BSC Young Boys, only for Thun to concede a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Back in contention
Nonetheless, Peischl has seen plenty to give him confidence as his side prepare for tonight's visit to Hamburg's AOL Arena. "It was a promising first week which we can build on," he said. Thun's miracle men have taken a few blows, but the fairy tale is not over yet.

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