30 years of FC Wunder: the spirit of Malaysia made Aarau a sensational champion

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When Aarau’s cult leader Ernst Lämmli learned of the plans in Malaysia in December 1992, he asked sports director Fredy Strasser and coach Rolf Fringer, “Is it worth it?” After their “sure”, Lämmli drives Strasser straight to the bank and pays the travel expenses of 30,000 francs from his private account. In retrospect, perhaps Lämmli’s best investment in his FCA. Although he does not fly to Asia himself, six months later, on June 5, 1993, he can call himself champion president. Thanks to the spirit of Malaysia.

Players, staff, supervisors: whoever you talk to about the biggest sensation in Swiss football, sooner or later the word “Malaysia” comes up in every conversation. The FCA flies there in February 1993 to the training camp as a participant in the “Merdeka Cup”.

Fredy Strasser recalls: “Immediately after landing in Kuala Lumpur, we drove to Merdeka Stadium. More than 20,000 people, pumped full, a hell of a racket. Our boys couldn’t keep their mouths shut in amazement. Logical: we were used to more modest circumstances from our Brügglifeld.” The next day, the guests from Aarau are on the field themselves. And if they finish first after three games in their group for the national teams of South Korea, Ghana and Indonesia, that is a signal with a lasting effect. Strasser: “The players realized that they are capable of great things!”

Lesson from coach after pizzeria incident

Believing in it was one thing. But without the excellent team spirit, the championship title would not have been possible. This is also the case in Malaysia: between matches, coach Fringer sends the team out. “Sunny by the pool was also allowed,” says Strasser, the tour guide at the time, “because we knew the boys would pay for themselves with performance.”

Everything went perfectly – apart from a small incident: when the team returned to the hotel after a match, the other guests had already wiped the buffet. The Swiss group in the FCA team led by Hilfiker, Kilian, Wyss and Co. quickly escapes to a nearby pizzeria – and has the waiter send the bill to Strasser’s hotel room. After consulting Coach Fringer, he takes over the lecture: “The walls shook for ten minutes, then it was over.”

After the elimination in the semi-final against host country Malaysia, the situation arises that the return journey is only fully booked four days later. When the president of the Football Association of Malaysia, who was enthusiastic about the Aarau tour group, found out, he summarily invited them to the resort town of Kuantan. Beach, drinks and pool. Now the batteries are finally charged for the successful final round. And trainer Fringer speaks what until then was only whispered behind the doors of the hotel rooms: “Master? Why not?”

Aarauer celebrates titles on the tartan track in Letzigrund

With the spirit of Malaysia, FC Aarau stormed through the final round, lost only once and was able to celebrate on the third penultimate matchday. After a 2-1 win against Sion in Brügglifeld, the team and fans travel together to the Letzigrund in Zurich. If the home team beats Servette there, the miracle is complete. And indeed: after FCZ’s 3:2, the Aarauer stormed onto the tartan track and the championship evening began.

“When we got to Aarau, the bus couldn’t go any further because the whole city was on the street,” recalls Torgarant Petar Aleksandrov. After that, the FCA heroes went to the ordinary pub “Toscana” in Oberentfelden. Aleksandrov doesn’t have many memories of it, he says with a laugh: “At least it was light when we went home.”

Source : Blick