In Russia, Murat Yakin has become a meme hero. Although at that time they were just emerging. Shirokov told him that he was not a coach at all, and in Switzerland they joked about snowy photos of Russia and noted Murat’s noticeable ageing after several months of work. Yakin left Moscow a year after his appointment with the sixth place, a lot of criticism and a negative reputation.
It’s been almost 10 years. And today the coach will lead the Swiss team in the playoffs of a major tournament for the second time in a row.
Yakin himself did not expect to be invited to the national team. When he was called up, he was bored in the Second League.
The Swiss team felt comfortable with Vladimir Petkovic. For 2021, he has transformed the team into an elite European team. Do you remember how they beat France in the round of 16 of Euro 2020? Yes, then there was a defeat against Spain, but this is particular. With Petkovic, the team played 78 games and averaged 1.79 points per game, a very serious indicator. If we add to this the Euro 2016 playoffs and the 2018 World Cup.
Vladimir Petkovich
Photo: Anatoly Maltsev/Getty Images
However, a year before the World Cup in Qatar, the Bosnian suddenly announced that he had had enough. Seven years of work with the national team played a role, because before that he only coached clubs and always wanted to return to a more intense schedule. Few expected his departure, but they quickly accepted it. And they started looking for a replacement. Among the names appeared, for example, Arsene Wenger and other top coaches. And then came August 9. And unexpectedly for everyone, the federation announced the appointment of Murat Yakin as head coach.
At that time he was coaching second division side Schaffhausen. And he didn’t set global goals. The team was in the middle of the table and the coach could concentrate on what generates income: the real estate sector. If he doesn’t know, Yakin long ago bought several houses in Switzerland and has been selling them competently ever since. For example, a few years ago he and his stepbrother bought more than 2,000 m² near Basel to develop an entire area.
Murat Yakin
Photo by: ZumaTASS
Football may have already faded into the background by that time. In general, the return after the Russian period was delayed. Yakin left the championship – the trophy was won by Basel. And after Spartak, he seemed to have lost interest in work. I took a year and a half off and then took charge of Schaffhausen, where, although I won, it was the second league. However, his name was not forgotten and he was even invited to elite clubs twice. Both approaches were unsuccessful: first to Grasshopper, and then to Sion. In the first case, he started well, but then he fell out with key players and was fired. In the second, the coach completely ignored all conventions: he hardly communicated with anyone, gave away days off and spent a lot of time outside Sion.
It seemed that this was already a gradual completion of work at a high level. And then, an offer to lead the team. This is how Yakin himself recalled it in an interview with the official UEFA website.
Murat Yakin
Swiss national team head coach
“I didn’t expect to get this opportunity. I worked at Schaffhausen in the second division, it was a very specific project. Everyone was still impressed by the great Euro 2020, but then the federation started looking for a new coach. When the sporting director called, I was at home with my wife. At first I didn’t even know what to do with him.”
In September, Yakin had his first matches and started very well.
Switzerland did not allow Italy to participate in the World Cup. Now the teams will meet again
Murat began to break records from the beginning: he became the first coach in the history of the national team who never lost in the first four official matches. Two victories over Northern Ireland, one over Latvia and a draw with Italy. These results ultimately helped the team take first place in the qualifying round and sent the reigning European champions to the World Cup play-offs. There the Italians fell into disgrace and did not reach the Qatar tournament.
Switzerland – Italy match in the qualifying phase for the 2022 World Cup
Photo: Marco Rosi/Getty Images
But the Swiss performed quite well there. If only because they made it to the playoffs from a difficult group with Brazil, Cameroon and Serbia, beating their two main rivals. Then we came up against Portugal and lost disastrously. But reaching the round of 16 is already a good achievement.
Qualification for Euro 2024 was not as successful, as the Swiss lost first place to Romania and tied five times. But from second place we reached the final stage. And here is a convincing victory over Hungary, a draw with Scotland that suits everyone and the same result with Germany.
Italy is ahead. And the Swiss are no strangers to leaving this team out of a major tournament.
Dispute over Euro 2024 format:
