Köbi Kuhn
Encyclopedia
Jakob "Köbi" Kuhn is a Swiss
football manager
and former football midfielder.
During his playing career he played primarily for FC Zürich and won 63 caps
for Switzerland
, one of which was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup
in England. As a manager he led his national team to Euro 2004 and 2008 and the 2006 World Cup
.
six times, as well as the Swiss Cup five times. He also played for Zürich in European Cup
semi-finals in 1963 and 1977. He left FCZ for city rivals Grasshopper-Club Zürich
for a short period towards the end of his career. Internationally he won 63 caps, and as a 22-year-old played one game at the 1966 World Cup, before being sent home in disgrace, and later banned for 12 months from the national team, for breaking a curfew.
. He led the national under-18 side to an impressive showing at the 1997 European Championships, and later guided the U21s
towards qualification for the finals of their respective European Championships for the first time.
Kuhn was promoted to coach of the senior national team in June 2001, replacing the Argentine Enzo Trossero
. Kuhn had been approached to become Trossero's assistant, but turned down the offer. With no real senior coaching experience, his appointment as head coach was first not universally applauded, but he has led the Swiss to Euro 2004 and the second round of the 2006 World Cup. Since Kuhn took part in the 1966 World Cup as a player, Switzerland had qualified for just one World Cup, in 1994, and one Euro finals, in 1996. Kuhn spent seven years as coach of the national team, and utilised many of the youth players he had worked with at youth level. He is second in all-time matches coached for the Swiss team, behind Karl Rappan
.
and the Republic of Ireland
to reach Euro 2004, the Swiss team drew 0-0 with Croatia in their opening game of the finals, before defeats to England
and France
saw them finish bottom of their group. In the game against holders France, Johan Vonlanthen scored Switzerland's equalising goal before Thierry Henry
's two late goals. Vonlanthen's goal was not only his team's only goal of the tournament, but also made him the tournament's youngest ever scorer.
On their way to the 2006 World Cup in Germany
, the Swiss team were defensively strong, and were undefeated in qualification Group 4. A bad-tempered play-off against Turkey
followed, which saw the Swiss progress on away goals. At the World Cup finals, the Swiss defence again shone, as they topped their group which included France, Togo
and South Korea
. In the second round, the team were eliminated on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Ukraine
. The team suffered the rare feat of getting knocked out without conceding a goal.
eventually managed to break down the Swiss co-hosts' resistance to win 1–0. During the game, Switzerland hit the bar and had captain Alexander Frei limp out of the tournament. In their second match, against Turkey, Switzerland wasted several good chances in a torrential downpour before succumbing to a late, deflected winner, making the score 2-1. Prior to the game, Kuhn had been told that his wife had been woken from her 9-day induced coma.
Kuhn told the Tages-Anzeiger
newspaper, "I had two feelings inside me on Wednesday, one of huge disappointment because we had gone out of the tournament and a great joy because of the surprise news from the hospital."
Already-qualified Portugal
provided the opposition for Kuhn's final match, which saw Portugal make eight changes to their team. Switzerland won 2–0 with both goals from Hakan Yakin
. After the game, the Swiss players unfurled a banner reading, 'Merci Köbi' as a mark of gratitude for his work. Kuhn had stated earlier that it was the aim of the Swiss squad to win the tournament at home. He was succeeded by Ottmar Hitzfeld
the Bayern Munich
head coach.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
football manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former football midfielder.
During his playing career he played primarily for FC Zürich and won 63 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
, one of which was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
in England. As a manager he led his national team to Euro 2004 and 2008 and the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
Playing career
Kuhn has been described as a clever and skilful midfielder. He spent 16 years with FC Zürich, captaining them to the Swiss Super LeagueSwiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
six times, as well as the Swiss Cup five times. He also played for Zürich in European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
semi-finals in 1963 and 1977. He left FCZ for city rivals Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
for a short period towards the end of his career. Internationally he won 63 caps, and as a 22-year-old played one game at the 1966 World Cup, before being sent home in disgrace, and later banned for 12 months from the national team, for breaking a curfew.
Managerial career
After retiring as a player, Kuhn returned to FC Zürich in 1979 to take charge of their youth set-up. He was later caretaker-manager of the club for two short spells between May 1983 and July 1984, as the club searched for a permanent successor to Daniel Jeandupeux. In 1995 he left the club and took a youth-coaching position at the Swiss FASwiss Football Association
The Swiss Football Association is the governing body of football in Switzerland. It organizes the football league, the Swiss Football League, and the Switzerland national football team. It is based in Bern....
. He led the national under-18 side to an impressive showing at the 1997 European Championships, and later guided the U21s
Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
towards qualification for the finals of their respective European Championships for the first time.
Kuhn was promoted to coach of the senior national team in June 2001, replacing the Argentine Enzo Trossero
Enzo Trossero
Enzo Héctor Trossero , nicknamed El Vikingo , is an Argentine footballer and coach, who was last the manager of Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.-Career:...
. Kuhn had been approached to become Trossero's assistant, but turned down the offer. With no real senior coaching experience, his appointment as head coach was first not universally applauded, but he has led the Swiss to Euro 2004 and the second round of the 2006 World Cup. Since Kuhn took part in the 1966 World Cup as a player, Switzerland had qualified for just one World Cup, in 1994, and one Euro finals, in 1996. Kuhn spent seven years as coach of the national team, and utilised many of the youth players he had worked with at youth level. He is second in all-time matches coached for the Swiss team, behind Karl Rappan
Karl Rappan
Karl Rappan was an Austrian footballer and coach. He played and managed mostly in Switzerland, where he won multiple titles. He had four tenures as coach of the Swiss national team, which he managed in three World Cups, and is the all-time leader in matches won as coach of the Swiss team...
.
Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006
After out-qualifying RussiaRussia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
to reach Euro 2004, the Swiss team drew 0-0 with Croatia in their opening game of the finals, before defeats to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
saw them finish bottom of their group. In the game against holders France, Johan Vonlanthen scored Switzerland's equalising goal before Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
's two late goals. Vonlanthen's goal was not only his team's only goal of the tournament, but also made him the tournament's youngest ever scorer.
On their way to the 2006 World Cup in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Swiss team were defensively strong, and were undefeated in qualification Group 4. A bad-tempered play-off against Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
followed, which saw the Swiss progress on away goals. At the World Cup finals, the Swiss defence again shone, as they topped their group which included France, Togo
Togo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
and South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
. In the second round, the team were eliminated on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. The team suffered the rare feat of getting knocked out without conceding a goal.
Euro 2008
Kuhn announced in October 2006 that he would terminate his engagement as manager of the Swiss squad after Euro 2008. In the week leading up to the tournament, Kuhn's preparations were disrupted by an epileptic attack hospitalising his wife. In the opening game the Czech RepublicCzech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
eventually managed to break down the Swiss co-hosts' resistance to win 1–0. During the game, Switzerland hit the bar and had captain Alexander Frei limp out of the tournament. In their second match, against Turkey, Switzerland wasted several good chances in a torrential downpour before succumbing to a late, deflected winner, making the score 2-1. Prior to the game, Kuhn had been told that his wife had been woken from her 9-day induced coma.
Kuhn told the Tages-Anzeiger
Tages-Anzeiger
Tages-Anzeiger, also abbreviated Tagi or TA, is a German language Swiss national daily newspaper based in Zurich. Among newspapers in Switzerland, it has one of the largest readerships, reaching around 550,000 readers. The Tages-Anzeiger was first published in 1893...
newspaper, "I had two feelings inside me on Wednesday, one of huge disappointment because we had gone out of the tournament and a great joy because of the surprise news from the hospital."
Already-qualified Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
provided the opposition for Kuhn's final match, which saw Portugal make eight changes to their team. Switzerland won 2–0 with both goals from Hakan Yakin
Hakan Yakin
Hakan Yakin is a Swiss footballer. He currently plays for Swiss Super League club FC Luzern. He was member of the Swiss national team for eleven years.-Personal life:...
. After the game, the Swiss players unfurled a banner reading, 'Merci Köbi' as a mark of gratitude for his work. Kuhn had stated earlier that it was the aim of the Swiss squad to win the tournament at home. He was succeeded by Ottmar Hitzfeld
Ottmar Hitzfeld
Ottmar Hitzfeld is a German former football player and manager, nicknamed der General ....
the Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
head coach.
Manager
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | GF | GA | +/- | ||||
| Zürich |  |
August 1983 | August 1983 | ||||||||
| Zürich | |
December 1983 | May 1984 | ||||||||
| Switzerland Switzerland national under-21 football team The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association... |
|
2001 | |||||||||
| Switzerland Switzerland national football team The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland... |
|
2001 | July 2008 | 73 | 32 | 18 | 23 | 111 | 88 | 23 | |
| Total | |||||||||||