Football: Have the Romands regained popularity as a Swiss team?

In French-speaking Switzerland, it is common to hear, in public opinion, that Murat Yakin is not very fond of calling players from our side of the Sarine. Like a joke that we repeat with each decision of the coach who supports the theory.

Where does this come from? Perhaps due to the fact that Yakin does not understand or express himself in French. A little also of the sanctions that he was able to make Kevin Mbabu and Jordan Lotomba pay a little over two years ago, when the coach chose to attack those (French) who played cards in the lobby from the Hôtel de la Réserve, when he had turned a blind eye to those (not from French-speaking Switzerland) who were having a drink a stone’s throw away. Especially from his list for the World Cup in Qatar, where he only selected two players from our minority out of twenty-six.

Some will find other examples to support their argument, but it must be said that it is more of a fantasy than anything else. And for several months, the trend has been frankly the opposite. There were already six of them at the Euro last summer.

No doubt the end of Friday’s match against Serbia is a good way to justify it: once all the changes had been made, there were seven French-speaking people out of eleven on the Letzigrund pitch! We list them: Kevin Mbabu, Aurèle Amenda, Ulisses Garcia, Joël Monteiro, Dereck Kutesa, Zeki Amdouni and Andi Zeqiri.

In the story, we must also not forget that Dan Ndoye – who has become essential in the national team – and Denis Zakaria were out and that they could have completed the list.

The question remains, is there anything to be learned from the observation? Will the French-speaking people be the big winners of the renewal invoked by the ASF and by Murat Yakin? Are we going to relive the Swiss team of 1996 where those who did not speak French seemed like offspring?

Maybe we shouldn’t get too carried away. This seems an epiphenomenon. At kick-off on Friday, there were only three (Edimilson Fernandes, in addition to Amdouni and Amenda). It’s the moment that makes the event.

And then, all these Romands are not kids who are promised a long life in the national team either. They are already 29 years old (Mbabu), 28 years old (Garcia), 27 years old (Kutesa), 26 years old (Monteiro) or 25 years old (Zeqiri). Only Amdouni (not yet 24) and Amenda (21) are younger and can really think about settling down for the long term.

Especially since the future generation is no more French-speaking than the current one. On the picket list for this November gathering, there were only two: the Vaudois from Lausanne Alvyn Sanches and the Neuchâtelois from Gantoise Franck Surdez. We can think that one day or another, they will have their chance in the A jersey. The fact remains that among the last U21 selection, which missed qualification for the Euro, they were not legion either.

On the other hand, where the current Romands have a hand to play, it is through their profile. They are mostly forward-facing players, except for Amenda. Even Mbabu and Garcia have this attacking full-back profile. And in a national team which is looking for new strengths in this sector, they will have to be considered.

Even if we must not forget that all of them (except Garcia, who entered later) were also on the field at the time of Serbia’s 1-1. A good excuse for Yakin?