IF Scotland manager Steve Clarke is at all trepidatious about making wholesale changes to his starting line-up against Switzerland tomorrow evening, he should maybe look at the success his opposite number Murat Yakin has enjoyed doing exactly that.
If Clarke is worried about the on and off-field ramifications of dropping one or maybe more of his high-profile players for the Group A match in the RheinEnergieStadion, he would be well advised to study what happened when Yakin left his biggest name out against Hungary at the weekend.
The national team’s next Euro 2024 opponents have a hugely impressive track record in major tournaments in modern times - they have reached the knockout rounds at the last five World Cup finals and the previous two European Championship finals.
However, with the celebrated members of their golden generation, Xherdan Shaqiri, Yann Sommer and Granit Xhaka, all entering the twilight of their illustrious careers, there were fears in Switzerland about whether their run of success would continue in Germany in the build up.
Their exploits in qualifying did not exactly fill their supporters with confidence. They won just four of their 10 Group I outings and were held to draws by Belarus, Israel and Kosovo. Calvin Stettler, a sports journalist with Swiss National TV, admitted that their fans travelled here in hope rather than expectation.
“Switzerland are certainly anticipating getting through the group stages,” he said. “So anything other than qualifying for the round of 16 would be a disappointment. Secretly, I think everyone in Switzerland is hoping that they can repeat the coup of the last Euros when we made the quarter-finals after a historic victory over France in last 16.
“The fact that there are such high expectations in this small country is due to the golden generation of Xhaka, Shaqiri, Sommer and Co. They have enabled Switzerland to qualify for the knockout phase at many past tournaments. This could be the last major tournament for some of this generation, so they want to show everyone once again they are great players and a great team.
“Before Euro 2024, this team was expected to do everything back in Switzerland. They were expected to soar, because this team has already shown great performances against big teams in big tournaments. But the team was also expected to disappoint because the qualification process was rather complicated.
“Many late goals were conceded, the defence was shaky and we were rarely convincing in attack. The coach's contract is due to expire at the end of the tournament and his future is unclear.”
The pressure, then, was well and truly on Yakin during the build-up to the game against Hungary in Cologne at the weekend.
It would have been understandable if he had put his faith in Shaqiri, the former Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Stoke City, Liverpool and Lyon winger who is one of Switzerland’s greatest ever players, in the circumstances and stuck with his tried and tested system. But he did, much to the astonishment of their followers, the exact opposite. He was rewarded for his bold approach.
“The game against Hungary changed a lot of things,” said Stettler. “The victory was a statement. It triggered great euphoria in Switzerland. Firstly, because the first half in particular was perhaps the best of the Yakin era. Secondly, because Yakin gambled high and won everything.
“The coach left the technically high-class Shaqiri on the bench, played central midfielder Michel Aebischer on the left wing and fielded the inexperienced Kwadwo Duah up front. Aebischer scored and set up a goal. And Duah, who only made his second international appearance, also scored. Breel Embolo also scored on his comeback from injury. So Yakin also made some good substitutions.
“He surprisingly put midfielder Aebischer, who only ever plays in the centre, on the left wing. Aebischer played on the left in a four man midfield in a 3-4-3 system. When building up play, he dropped into the centre from the left, which irritated Hungary a lot.”
So how do the Swiss think Scotland will fare against Switzerland? Do they fear that Andy Robertson and his team mates can put the 5-1 defeat they suffered at the hands of Germany in Munich on Friday night behind them, rediscover the form they showed in qualifying and get a result which keeps alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history?
“I was quite astonished by Scotland's performance in the opening game,” said Stettler. “I was surprised because I didn't see Scotland's usual strengths. Where was that fighting mentality? And why did they let Toni Kroos dictate play? When I read the reactions of the Scottish press, I felt vindicated.
“This team can do more. I still believe that: Their performances in the European Championship qualifiers were particularly remarkable. Word of their displays and results have spread as far as Switzerland. We are aware of how much suffering they are capable of inflicting.
“Of course, we know the well-known players from the Premier League, the likes of Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney. The impressive Scottish fans who have travelled to Germany are also a topic of discussion in Switzerland.
“It's clear that Switzerland are focussing on their own strengths, but the fact that Scotland now have to react to the defeat in Germany doesn't suit Switzerland. I'm expecting a pretty close game because the Scots will probably be far better and Switzerland traditionally don't play their best games when they have to take the more active role.
“Yet, I think Switzerland will win by a narrow margin because they are coming into the game with a lot of momentum after their opening win and their key players are in good form.”
