Switzerland’s path to the World Cup Final – and other predictions

So, having completed my seven-part series of the team I expect to represent my Alpine brethern this summer, I thought that I’d see what would be in store for the Swiss if they are to do what the Italians did four years ago and not only make it to the FIFA World Cup Final, but also win it.

Let me state this very clearly now: this article is intended for my Swiss compatriots to reach, and win the final…clearly what I actually believe will be different.

Inevitably, I’m going to have to make other predictions about the other groups and knockout fixtures. So hold on to your hats!

Let’s cut to the chase…as far as the group stages are concerned:

GROUP STAGES:

The World Cup 2010 tickets and champions league final tickets of all matches are now available for sale. Football tickets of all the matches of World Cup are for sale at ticket4football.com, you can buy the Switzerland World Cup Tickets for its the upcoming matches and World Cup Football tickets of other teams on this website.

England’s World Cup Bid in Chaos

NewsFeed touched upon last Friday’s soccer World Cup bids in Switzerland. This was where the competing nations made their case to governing body FIFA in the hope of being awarded the 2018 honor of hosting. But nobody saw this coming.

England’s chairman of the Football Association, and 2018 bid team, Lord Triesman, resigned Sunday after an undercover tape-recorded conversation emerged in which he alleged that Spain and Russia (two of England’s main bidding rivals) were planning to bribe referees at this year’s World Cup in South Africa. Listen to what Triesman has described as “entrapment” by the Mail on Sunday newspaper here and here.

Where this leaves England’s chances of winning the bid this December is anyone’s guess. The Motherland of soccer had been firm favorites to host the World Cup for the first time since 1966, when they lifted the trophy for the only time in their history. Triesman’s blunder might well be fatal, especially as it comes on the back of a series of setbacks, such as the handing out of Mulberry handbags to delegates’s wives and being told that their bid was “lightweight” by FIFA’s Vice President Jack Warner. But Triesman’s heavyweight claims could be the ultimate own goal.

The World Cup 2010 tickets and champions league final tickets of all matches are now available for sale. Football tickets of all the matches of World Cup are for sale at ticket4football.com, you can buy the Switzerland World Cup Tickets for its the upcoming matches and World Cup Football tickets of other teams on this website.

Ottmar Hitzfeld: The Man Who Would Be King

I would like to firstly apologise at my hiatus from the Switzerland World Cup blog, as technical difficulties on my side had resulted in me not being to access my pages. But now…I’m back.

Thanks to all those that read part one of the series, and I’m glad to present the next installment at my look at Ottmar Hitzfeld’s illustrious footballing career.

Today I bring you a look at the days that Hitzfeld was a player.

Above, we see Ottmar playing for the national team in the 1972 Olympic games, hosted in Munich.

CLUB CAREER:

During his 16-year professional career, Hitzfeld played as a striker, earning him a respectable goal return across clubs in Germany and Switzerland.

At lower-league teams such as TuS Stetten and FV Lörrach, Hitzfeld had built up himself as a reliable goal-scorer, ultimately earning him a break in Switzerland when the scouts at FC Basel had picked him up.

At Basel, Hitzfeld was able to pick up the Swiss League Winners’ medal twic in 1972 and 1973, as well as a Cup Winner’s medal in 1975. The club had come to rely heavily on the striker – as can be seen through his achievements in the 1972/1973 season where he finished the year as top-scorer in Switzerland.

The World Cup 2010 tickets and champions league final tickets of all matches are now available for sale. Football tickets of all the matches of World Cup are for sale at ticket4football.com, you can buy the Switzerland World Cup Tickets for its the upcoming matches and World Cup Football tickets of other teams on this website.