Training camps, friendly matches: that’s what the twelve Super League coaches are planning

Timo Schultz (45), the new FCB coach, speaks of a “luxury situation” – because he had several months to prepare for the new job. The ex-St Pauli coach watched a number of Super League matches, had one-on-one conversations with the players and introduced himself to the fans in the fan club. And: He went swimming in the Rhine, equipped with a windfish. In short: someone has come who wants to stay.

Training start: 21st of June
Training Camp: 23 to 1 July in Seefeld (Austria)
Test game planned so far:
08.07. Vaduz Basel

Bruno Berner (45) does not need a route planner to get to Niederhasli. The man is a classification boy, grew up in Glattbrugg, became champion twice as a player, the club knows. And he knows the Super League. With Winti he manages to stay in the competition despite the small budget. With the Hoppers he has more money at his disposal, but also more unrest in the club.

Training start: June 19
Training Camp: July 3 to 7 in Crans-Montana
Test matches:
24.06. GC-Vaduz
30.06. GC – Austria Lustenau (Austria)
07.07. Stade Lausanne Ouchy–GC
15/07 Friborg (De) – GC

“What is that supposed to be?” asks Blick, because the Vaud region has three Super League teams in Lausanne, Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy and Yverdon. However, there is no doubt that Lausanne’s sport belongs in the top league – because they have won the championship 7 times, because they have millions at their disposal thanks to owner Ineos and because coach Ludovic Magnin will become the color of the competition thanks to his emotionality.

Training start: June 19
Training Camp: July 3 to 7 in Divonne-les-Bains (Fri)
Test matches:
24/06 Lausanne – Yverdon
07/01 Lausanne – Sion
04/07 Lausanne – Stade Nyonnais
08/07 Lausanne – Xamax
07/14 Lausanne – Nice (Fri)

In the beginning, long-time assistant Mattia Croci-Torti (41) was laughed at as an emergency nail, after the cup victory in 2022 and the qualification for the European Cup, the bundle of energy has become a jack of all trades. And from Lugano, a serious competitor for the Bernese Young Boys, because thanks to American billionaire Joe Mansueto, the Ticino have the means to challenge Croesus.

Training start: June 22
Training Camp: 2 to 8 July in Malles (It)
Test matches:
29.06. Lugano Bellizona
12.07. Lugano–Paradise (1st)

When Mario Frick took over FCL in the winter of 2021, he promised to deliver the “strongest team” in the league in the second half of the season. The Liechtensteiner kept his word. And his players will probably work up a sweat during this preparation. Is that enough to finally survive a round in the European Cup?

Training start: 21st of June
Training Camp: 3 to 8 July in Schruns (Austria)
Test matches:
30/06 Lucerne – Aarau
08/07 Altach (Austria) – Lucerne
July 12 Lucerne – Schaffhausen

René Weiler failed as a napkin player once in the Champions League qualifier against Steaua Bucharest. Almost 30 years later, he gets the chance to play in the royal class as a coach. With the Grenats having a miserable club coefficient, countless better-ranked teams are waiting to make their way to the honey pots. And three qualifying rounds.

Training start: 21st of June
Training Camp: July 2 to 7 in Crans-Montana
Test matches:
06/28 Napkin – Xamax
30/06 Napkin – Stade Nyonnais
07. 07. Napkin – Cercle Bruges (Be)
07/11 Rapperswil-Jona (PL) – Napkin

Anthony Braizat (45), the promoted coach, is no stranger to the Super League. He worked for Servette both as a player and as a coach, and now he leads the underdog to the Super League. The question is: can Lausanne-Ouchy keep his team together? For example, wing racer Teddy Okou (25) is forcibly trapped.

Training start: June 23
Training Camp: no
Test matches:
28.06. Stade-LS-Ouchy – SAFP (Team of out-of-contract players)
01.07. Thun-Stade-LS-Ouchy
04.07. YB – Stade-LS-Ouchy
07.07. Stade LS Ouchy–GC
13.07. Stade-LS-Ouchy – Paris FC (Fri/L2)

Because Alain Geiger (62) had to leave Servette, Peter Zeidler (60) is the only remaining long-term coach in the league at 4 years, 11 months and 18 days. And that probably won’t change if green-white gets into relegation problems. Zeidler has signed until 2027. He may still experience his tenth anniversary in the Kybunpark. Then he would have reached retirement age.

Training start: June 19
Training Camp: Aspen on tour
Test matches:
25.06. Schaffhausen-St Gallen
28/06 Dornbirn (Austria) – St. Gallen
02.07. Sankt Gallen – Bellinzona
15/07 Sankt Gallen – Villarreal (Sp)

Assuming that the Swiss reserves reach the European Championship final against expectations, national coach Patrick Framework would be in Georgia until July 8. And would miss almost two weeks of preparation. Overall, it’s a sub-optimal start for FCW, who made the most of last season despite the small budget – and secured direct relegation.

Training start: June 22
Training Camp: no
Test matches:
01.07. Winterthur – YF Juventus Zurich (1st)
08.07. Winterthur-Aarau
11.07. Winterthur–Brühl SG (PL)
18/07 Winterthur – Villarreal (Sp)

YB failed internationally last season, failing in the Conference League qualifiers against Anderlecht, who only finished 11th in Belgium last season. Now the Berners seek compensation. And have a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Yellow-Black only needs to survive one more round, and the Berners are also done. Coach Wicky is correspondingly combative: “Our goal is the premier class.”

Training start: June 23
Training Camp: July 1 to 8 in Gstaad
Test matches:
30/06 YB–Yverdon
06/30 YB – Breiterain (PL)
04/07 YB – Stade-LS-Ouchy
07/15 YB – Schaffhausen
07/15 YB – Thu

Anyone who predicted in the summer of 2017 that Marco Schällibaum would win the Challenge League with Yverdon would probably have been laughed at. At that time, the Zurich native retired from the head coaching business and spent many years with the FCB youth team before taking over AC Bellinzona in April 2022. There he was released after seven games. Then he was hired by Yverdon. The rest is history.

Training start: June 19
Training Camp: no
Test matches:
24/06 Lausanne – Yverdon
30/06 YB – Yverdon
30/06 Breitenrain (PL) – Yverdon
05/07 Zion – Yverdon
08/07 Thun–Yverdon
11/07 Biel (PL) – Yverdon
14/07 Annecy (Fri/2) – Yverdon
15/07 Sochaux (Fri/2) – Yverdon

They call Bo Henriksen “Happy Bo” because the Dane is bursting with positive energy. Good Mood Bo would also fit. The 48-year-old is the antithesis of grumpy predecessor Franco Foda. The question in the new season will be: will Henriksen maintain his positive attitude, even if things are not going well for weeks?

Training start: June 22
Training Camp: July 8 to 15 in Ried (Austria)
Test matches:
24/06 Zurich – Kreuzlingen (1st)
28/06 Zurich – Dietikon (1st)
30/06 Zurich – Rapperswil-Jona (PL)
06. 07. Zurich – Schaffhausen