Swiss coach keeps focus off Frei controversy

Switzerland coach Kobi Kuhn is determined his team will retain their focus on tomorrow’s final Euro 2004 Group B match against table-toppers France - irrespective of the controversy which has surrounded Alexander Frei.

The storm over whether on not Frei spat at England midfielder Steven Gerrard on Thursday has dominated much of Switzerland’s build-up to their big test against the French.

But Kuhn is insistent that his players will not have been sidetracked from their mission improbable to qualify for the quarter-finals.

“We always have problems like this,” said Kuhn.

“There are injuries and then there are bans, but the most important thing is our game with France."

There have been a series of blows to Swiss morale before and during the tournament in Portugal.

An injury to star striker Marco Streller in a training-ground collision with team-mate Patrick Zwyssig ruled him out of the tournament during the build-up to Euro 2004.

Then Johan Vogel was sent off in the 0-0 draw with Croatia and missed the England game – and defender Bernt Haas was dismissed against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men, meaning he will miss the France game.

With Streller absent, the Switzerland will look to veteran campaigner Stephane Chapuisat as a goalscoring hope.

Chapuisat, voted Switzerland’s best footballer of the last year, may be a class performer – but at 34 he is no spring chicken and is expected to quit the international stage after the tournament.

The other dilemma for Kuhn is how to compensate for the loss of Haas at right-back. One possible solution would be to switch Christoph Spycher from left-back and move Patrick Muller from central defence to left-back where he plays for French champions Lyon.

Stephane Henchoz could then come into central defence alongside Murat Yakin for the Swiss, who still have a chance of qualification despite a meagre points haul of one in two matches with no goals scored so far.

Vogel could return to bolster the Swiss, who know victory would put them level on points with France and possibly England – if they draw with Croatia.

In the event of the Swiss beating France and England beating Croatia then Kuhn and Co would qualify at the expense of the defending champions because of the result in the head-to-head match at Coimbra.