It's good that FC Basel is back with a Swiss coach, writes blue Sport editor-in-chief Andreas Böni. He believes that the new coach will increase the likelihood of Yann Sommer and Granit Xhaka returning to FCB.
To put it bluntly: the dismissal of Ludovic Magnin after an almost epic win against FC Zurich is a risk in terms of timing alone. Football is volatile and the much-cited momentum is difficult to build. If you then win spectacularly 4:3 at your rivals in the last second, this can be the starting point for a series. By sacking the coach, FC Basel risk stifling the momentum.
But the world belongs to the brave. David Degen's willingness to take risks is demonstrated by the signing of Stephan Lichtsteiner, who comes straight from the 1st Division Classic to FC Basel to become head coach.
It's good that a young Swiss coach is getting the chance instead of a foreigner who doesn't know the league. The fact that Degen has chosen a Swiss coach five times in the last five years - Lichtsteiner, Magnin, Celestini, Frei and Rahmen - is to be welcomed anyway.
Lichtsteiner, a Juve legend, seven-time champion and two-time Champions League finalist, brings everything to the table mentally. It is his nature not to be afraid of anything or anyone and to do everything to win. He learned tactics from world coaches. He is good at rhetoric and educates himself with books. And, not insignificant for FC Basel: he knows how to deal with intrigue like the back of his hand.
Nati axis soon to be reunited?
With Lichtsteiner's signing, FC Basel has also acquired an interesting network. Lichtsteiner has an excellent relationship with many of the players FCB is interested in. Not only because he showed solidarity with his teammates by cheering for the double eagle at the 2018 World Cup.
There's Xherdan Shaqiri, the attraction of the league, with whom you have to find the right dosage.
There's Granit Xhaka, who Lichtsteiner played with at Arsenal and with whom he led the national team. They were always united by an unconditional will to win.
There is Yann Sommer, with whom Lichtsteiner played 40 international matches. The brother of the new FCB coach arranged Sommer's transfer to Bayern, Sommer's contract with Inter expires in the summer.
There is former national team colleague Fabian Schär, who also always emphasized: "If I play in Switzerland again, it will be for FC Basel." Schär would also be available on a free transfer in the summer.
With the signing of Lichtsteiner, the chances of a new Basel legend squad like the one they once had with leading lights Benjamin Huggel, Alex Frei and Marco Streller increase. Especially as Sommer, Xhaka and Schär are still performing at a top level despite their age.
Of course, it would be a financial kick in the pants for FCB. But at a time when the Roche heirs (total assets of 28 to 29 billion Swiss francs) are back on the board of directors, one can also dream that a Sommer-Schär-Xhaka-Shaqiri axis could be financed.
It would certainly be a gift for Swiss football.
