Swiss coach Kuhn shrugs off favourites tag

SWITZERLAND coach Kobi Kuhn has dismissed suggestions that his side are favourites to top Group Four and qualify for next summer’s World Cup finals.

Currently top of the group, Switzerland know that a victory tomorrow against France in Berne followed by a draw with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin will guarantee them a place in the World Cup finals.

With France definitely without striking pair David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry, and defender Lilian Thuram a doubt, and Ireland without Roy Keane, it has led to expectations in Switzerland rising.

But Kuhn shrugged off the favourites tag, insisting that all three sides and Israel should be confident of qualifying for the World Cup.

“We are also missing good players such as Hakan Yakin. We will see 75 minutes before the match who is really missing,” said the Swiss coach, alluding to Thuram’s apparent groin problem.

“We must concentrate on our own strengths. At the moment, what I am thinking about is France. After that, we can analyse with a calculator what result is necessary in Dublin in order to be first or second.

“It could be that a victory against France is not enough. We may need to take something from Dublin. But we have good memories after winning in Dublin on the way to Euro 2004.”

But Kuhn also acknowledged that Switzerland’s confidence was sky-high ahead of the two games and his players expect to top the group and avoid a play-off.

“It is surely no coincidence the fact that we are first and lost no games, which put us in a good position this week. However, we have not reached anything yet.

“So far, we have played well but not at our best, though it is a major boost because qualification is in our own hands,” said Kuhn.

“We have not had a bad result yet and are confident. We are playing against very good teams and, although we did lose points against Israel and Ireland at home, we played very well in Paris and got a draw.

“It must already be the goal of Switzerland to be at least second in the group at the end of the qualification games. It would be an enormous disappointment for us all if we did not qualify for the World Cup.”