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Blick: Marco Schällibaum, Yverdon gambled away the first match point for direct promotion. Have nerves played tricks on the team?
Marco Schellibaum: We started strong, but then lost our balance a bit. Of course we feel a certain pressure so close to the finish. But we can deal with that. We are now preparing well for Tuesday evening. Then comes FC Aarau (watch the live ticker from 8pm).
And the big promotion party for your own fans?
Hopefully. And the stadium will be full. We’re definitely in the barrage right now. But the goal with our starting position is clear: we want to go straight up. And still have two match points.
When did you first think that a promotion at Yverdon might be possible?
When I came, the roster was almost complete and I didn’t know most of the players. But also during the preparations I felt that there was a lot of potential. And the competition is very balanced. Anyone can beat anyone. With the first successes at the beginning of the season, self-confidence also grew quickly.
Do you have a promotional bonus in the contract?
Premiums are a fixed part of the contract. I think every Challenge League coach has that.
What do you say to the critics who see Yverdon as a potential dilution of Super League?
I tell them that Switzerland is a diverse country. That the country does not only consist of large football stadiums and large cities. That little Yverdon would give this competition more provincial charm. I tell them: Yverdon would be an asset to the Super League. We are not St Tropez. But we are a beautiful lakeside town of 30,000 people. We can become the pearl of the Super League. A trip to Yverdon is an experience for every fan from Switzerland. Of course there will be critics too. But that doesn’t bite me.
But more than 3000 spectators wouldn’t get into the Super League, would they?
But. I am confident that the hut would be full every time. And an average of 5000 spectators is realistic. And then the mood will be brighter than in the Letzigrund with 4000 people or in Lugano with 3500 spectators. That is why we certainly want to play in Yverdon when we are promoted and not move to a larger stadium. We can’t do that to this region. We still have to improve the stadium, but we have received the license for the Super League in the first instance.
How would you strengthen the team if you were promoted? Get Mario Balotelli?
We don’t get stars, we can’t afford them. I need players with attitude and the right professional attitude. In any case, we will continue on this path with young, hungry players. We are now living a season of team spirit. That would not change in the Super League either. And I’m convinced we wouldn’t be cannon fodder. FC Winterthur did not get much credit and the team can keep up.
Have you not received any offers from bigger clubs in recent months?
GC didn’t call, if that’s what you’re asking. But it was clear anyway that my contract would be extended if we finished in the top five. I am now happy to continue this wonderful journey with this team.
You once climbed with YB, last year with Bellinzona and now maybe with Yverdon. Would this promotion be the best moment of your long 18-station coaching career?
It would definitely be a highlight of my career. I am a fighter and at 61 I still get up every day full of energy. I need the daily challenge and love it. If I could now experience this success in my current phase of life, it would be very special.
Would it also be a great satisfaction for you personally?
Naturally. But I would be happier for the players, for the staff, for the city and this region. If you can give enthusiasm and see people smiling and happy, I like that better than getting a gift myself.
Your whole career and your whole life is a rollercoaster ride.
That’s true. The perfect life does not exist. A few years ago, I held my one-year-old son dead in my hands and went into crisis. But I soon realized that life is too short to give in to self-pity and resentment. You must look ahead and march on. You have to live with the pain and fight. I see no alternative to this attitude.
Which player embodies Yverdon’s prodigious development most impressively?
I should name them all. But if I have to name one rep, it’s Brian Beyer. The 26-year-old Frenchman is our «wild horse». A street football player from France who has played in lower leagues. A mustang that always gallops forward and wants to bang his head against the wall. We had to tame him a bit. But with his fierce determination, he perfectly embodies our path.
What are you most looking forward to after a promotion?
On everything. In every stadium. I have many friends and memories everywhere. In Bern, in Basel, in Zurich. Not everything went well everywhere, the dismissal in Basel still hurts. But I have no unpaid bills anywhere and can happily return anywhere.
You are now 61 years old. Will Marco Schällibaum become the Giovanni Trapattoni of Swiss football?
I feel fit and full of energy. Daily work is my inspiration. I hope this lasts a long time.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
