“We can’t compete with Spain, just admire it and learn”

Inca Grings He had a bad time last World Cup. Deleted Switzerland in the quarterfinals of one Spain so big that he eventually became a champion, the coach was questioned and had his ups and downs with some of his own players. Now, in an interview with ‘NZZ’, the German examines some aspects a few days before the new confrontation with the Spanish team, on Sunday in the Nations League match.

“Whatever tactics you choose against Spain, you will have a hard time. I like to accept criticism, but this criticism is too simple for me. In addition to the tactical aspects, there are many individual stories as to why we were eliminated like that way. We cannot “we must measure ourselves against the Spaniards. We should admire them and learn from them, especially the young players, who should realize that they have to do more than talk,” he said.

“There are smaller teams in the World Cup that are really inspired. In Switzerland it’s not like that. Why does this fire sometimes disappear? It’s really a topic that I talked to Lia Wälti for a long time. The players say ” They have an incredibly good time with the team. They spent a lot of time together playing board games. There is great unity, but the inner fire that is missing has to come from the team,” he said. And he added: “I love Switzerland, but something is missing. For example, Granit Xhaka has that fire.”

The coach insists: “Of course I want us to play tiki-taka and become world champions… but Switzerland has never beaten a major nation in the final tournament. That’s the reality. I’m really a brutally ambitious person. The result “They hurt me. This is a maturation process for me. But we have to see where the limits are. We cannot and should not put ourselves on the same level as these great nations.”

Grings also intoned the ‘mea culpa’: “I also took too many things for granted. I learned that you have to work harder, starting with me. It doesn’t help me if everything goes well. When things get difficult and you have What comes next is when your true self comes out.” “The players want me to talk to them more and get to know them better. They are perfect here. I must admit that I didn’t do that much. I still have to find a replacement.”