Now Celestini has to solve it: an ex-Nati coach was a problem at FCB

Two days after the 3-0 disgrace in Lausanne, coach Heiko Vogel was fired. Vogel’s disastrous record stands at 4 games, 0 goals and 0 points since taking over from Timo Schultz at the end of September.

Vogel, who had to resign from his position as team leader a few days ago, led the training on Monday. It was his last. His last official act: the lecture he announced to the players after the 3-0 defeat in Lausanne.

On Tuesday, the FCB thanked Vogel on its homepage for his “tireless efforts” for the red-blue team in recent months, wished the German nothing but the best for the future and at the same time introduced his successor. Fabio Celestini will take over as manager until the end of the season. The Lausanne native gives his first training as FCB coach on his 48th birthday. And because the very important cup round of 16 against SC Kriens is scheduled for the next day, he does this behind closed doors. The French only spoke out publicly after the cup match against the club from the Promotion League.

Petkovic and Contini were also shortlisted

According to information from Blick, ex-GC coach Giorgio Contini and former national coach Vladimir Petkovic were also on the shortlist for Vogel’s successor. Petkovic could even have imagined that he would be involved, but he would hardly have arrived at the Rhine Knee alone and without an Allied assistant.

However, Celestini comes alone. And not only takes over Vogel’s former technical staff around assistant coach Davide Callà, but also a completely insecure team without life and spirit. The main characters revolve around Fabian Frei and Taulant

Now everything is different. And that also applies to Celestini: Celestini has proven several times that he can be a successful coach with a clear game idea. He once led Lausanne back to the Super League and Lugano even to the Europa League. He won the cup with Lucerne in 2021. But Basel not only requires fair-weather football, but also scratching and biting.

Celestini failed as a firefighter in Zion

However, Celestini has failed to provide evidence that he can achieve a ‘mission turnaround’. At the beginning of this year he failed as a firefighter at FC Sion. After two points from six games he was released by Christian Constantin. He could not put out the fires in Valais. In Basel, where things are currently heating up no less, the seven-member sports commission led by President David Degen, Valentin Stocker and Marco Streller now believes he can do this.

For the passionate amateur dancer Celestini, the FCB commitment is not a big risk. Things simply cannot get worse than under his predecessor Vogel.

For boss David Degen and his sports committee, however, Celestini will be a dance on the edge: a brave and risky choice! Because Celestini has his clear ideas about football. Long balls from behind are not part of the plan; he consistently demands a well-maintained game structure – no matter what the opponent’s name is. This led to various discussions at FC Luzern.