“Disappointing sign”: SFV women’s leader Marion Daube attacks the Federal Council

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Marion Daube, what is your impression after the first few days of training? Have you found the right trainer with Pia Sundhage (64)?
Marion Daube: The first few days I was very close with the team. Whether it’s a team meeting or a speech on the field, I have a very positive impression so far.

Have you received the first feedback from the players yet?
It is still too early for that. Pia has spoken to some of the player council on the phone before, but here in Marbella they all met for the first time. Players and staff must first get to know each other well. During the first few days, everyone wants to show their best side. I will definitely talk to the players, but you don’t always have to push everything.

How did you manage to bring a world coach to Switzerland?
The most important argument to convince them was the European Championship of 2025. Pia has already experienced a home tournament like this with Sweden and knows exactly what that entails. At the same time, she is also someone who wants to further develop football. She has followed the national team before and seen in which areas the team is still struggling. Using her knowledge to apply leverage there certainly appealed to her.

However, from a financial perspective, you will have to accept losses.
I don’t think Pia makes decisions for financial reasons. She sees enormous development potential in the Swiss team. Her only wish was that she could take her old assistants with her.

What lessons do you draw from the unfortunate ending of the chapter with Inka Grings (45)?
When Inka started her job, the candidacy for the 2025 European Championship was still ongoing. During this time I was perhaps a little too close to the team. It’s possible I could have noticed it sooner if there were signs of disagreement between the coach and the team at the time.

What specifically could the association have done better?
There could have been a little more support from our side towards the trainer. Maybe we could have handled things like this better in the beginning.

There is still a lot of work to be done by the SFV regarding the European Championship. In England, 60,000 fans attend Women’s Super League matches. In Switzerland there are usually a few hundred. When will the great EM euphoria start?
Unfortunately, we can’t achieve viewership numbers like this overnight. Simply running a major marketing campaign will not automatically fill the stadiums. This must grow and must also be long-lasting. I think we are on the right track. But the time until the European Championships is short, so we have to go full throttle now.

What specific measures do you have in mind?
We try to hold the international matches in larger stadiums until the European Championship. We want to better integrate the European Championship locations before the tournament and hope for a certain advertising effect.

But this can also be counterproductive if the large stadiums remain half empty.
This is a topic that we will continue to discuss internally. The problem is that in Switzerland we hardly have modern stadiums with the optimal capacity for international women’s matches. In addition, there is a need for a professional infrastructure not only from us, but also from the TV side.

The Federal Council wants to reduce the original 15 million francs for the 2025 European Championship to four million. How did you react to this decision?
With great misunderstanding. The whole of Europe looks at Switzerland and then the Federal Council makes this decision. None of us expected that there would suddenly be so many cuts in funding. The fact that such a statement was made regarding women’s sports really disappointed me. This reduction is not justified.

How important is it for the tournament that the Council of States committee is now demanding the original federal contribution of 15 million francs?
Very important. The European Championship not only brings great opportunities for women’s football, but also for the Swiss economy. As a country, we want to show our best side to foreign guests, so that we have a lasting effect.

15 million francs is still a fraction of the 82 million with which the federal government supported the European Championship for men in 2008. Don’t you find that annoying?
I don’t know the exact figures at the time and don’t even want to compare the two tournaments. For me it is more about the cities and cantons that see a great opportunity for the European Championship and have already committed to the European Championship during their candidacy with significant commitment loans. The decision of the Federal Council is now a serious setback for all involved.

Source : Blick