BERNE, Switzerland, July 3 (Reuters) - Ottmar Hitzfeld said he had no plans to radically overhaul Swiss football after completing his first working day as the country's new national coach.
Former Bayern Munich manager Hitzfeld, 60, said the
achievements of the team under former coach Koebi Kuhn already
demonstrated that Switzerland were well prepared for the next
task of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.
'Koebi Kuhn took Switzerland to three consecutive major
finals, so there is no need to revolutionise Swiss football,'
Hitzfeld told reporters following meetings with Swiss FA
officials on Thursday.
'Our clear aim now is to get stuck into the World Cup
qualifiers as we will need utmost professionalism. Even if the
team has made it to the last three tournaments it is by no means
a foregone conclusion that Switzerland can always qualify.'
Switzerland qualified for Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup
and were then given free passage into Euro 2008 as co-hosts
along with neighbouring Austria.
Kuhn's final campaign before his retirement ended in some
disappointment as the Swiss bowed out during the tournament's
group stage, becoming only the second European Championship
hosts to do so, soon followed by Austria.
'I was also very sad when the Swiss team went out but I
thought the team acquitted itself very well, even if the results
were not so good,' Hitzfeld said.
'They were very unfortunate, particularly in losing their
top scorer and captain Alex Frei to injury after just 40
minutes. Efficiency was perhaps another problem but hopefully
that is something we can work on.'
Hitzfeld said he was aware that his long list of
achievements as a club coach had already raised expectations
ahead of his first attempt at national team management.
'It is important though that everyone realises that what
lies behind success is a lot of hard work,' said Hitzfeld whose
major club honours include two Champions League wins with Bayern
and Borussia Dortmund.
'It is also sometimes difficult to get back to the
nitty-gritty of daily business after the euphoria of a European
Championship on home soil but I expect all the players to be
fully motivated for the qualifying games.'
Switzerland were drawn into European Group 2 for the World
Cup qualifiers where they will face Greece, Israel, Moldova,
Latvia and Luxembourg.
Hitzfeld's first game in charge will be a friendly against
Cyprus in Geneva on August 20.
