VADUZ (Reuters) – Tiny Liechtenstein have made impressive progress since their initial foray into international football less than 20 years ago, yet coach Hans-Peter Zaugg fears that after some promising results they may have hit a dead end.
With a population of only 35,000, not enough to even half fill many European stadiums, they still managed to muster four points in the Euro 2012 qualifying competition and concede an average only slightly above two goals a game.
It may not sound impressive but it is a vast improvement on earlier performances, such as the 1998 World Cup qualifiers when they lost all 10 matches, conceding 52 goals, and the Euro 96 qualifiers when they took one point and conceded 40.
Although they lost 8-1 to Bosnia in September, such defeats have become a rarity which Zaugg said is down to the Liechtenstein federation’s efforts on developing local players.
“We have teams in the under-12, under-13, under-14, under-15, under-16 and under-18 categories. In the last four years, ten players have progressed through these teams to the senior side,” Zaugg told Reuters.
However, Zaugg said that with only three professionals in his squad, further improvement was less likely.
“They can progress with us until the under-18 level, the problem is what happens afterwards. We have reached a stage where it gets difficult to take another step up and where you can’t really get much better,” he said.
“Most of our players are amateur and I have always said that we should only start dreaming of getting good results on a regular basis if we can play with professionals against other professionals.”
An obvious solution would be for players to develop their careers with local side FC Vaduz, who play in the Swiss second division and have in the past reached the top flight.
But Zaugg said the club, whose squad currently includes players from Switzerland, Argentina, Croatia, Germany, Austria, Italy and France, had its own philosophy.
“Our big disadvantage is that FC Vaduz is not absolutely on the Liechtenstein path, they do not focus on local players, they have Swiss, Germans and Austrians.
“I’m not saying they should have only players from Liechtenstein, but in a squad of 20 they could have, say, ten players from this country.”
THIRTY-YEAR WAIT
Other small nations have improved their teams by looking to their diaspora or through naturalising foreigners living locally, however, this is not an option for Liechtenstein either.
The country has no history of emigration while foreigners coming to Liechtenstein are only eligible for citizenship after 30 years.
“Here it is impossible to field foreign-born players, it is very difficult to get a passport,” said Zaugg. “We have players who were born here, speak our language and they cannot play for us.”
Zaugg therefore has to do the best he can with a collection of bank workers, accountants, plumbers and heating engineers.
“It is difficult to plan ahead when players have to call their work places and ask for time off,” he said, adding that some missed training and even matches due to work commitments.
“We have been through an unlucky stage. I have lost recently four important players who said they could not keep giving up their holidays or taking unpaid leave.
“When they’re young and single, that doesn’t matter so much. When they get married, they need the money and it’s not so easy. It’s a great shame but I understand the situation.”
HARDCORE FANS
Matches at Liechtenstein’s tiny stadium, situated on the banks of the Rhine and surrounded by fields where cows graze peacefully, have the feel of lower league encounter.
The first giveaway that a World Cup qualifier is being played comes when the FIFA music blares out as the teams take the field and the national anthems are sung.
Friday night’s match at home to Lithuania was witnessed by a modest 1,112 fans in the 7,800-capacity arena, nearly all sitting quietly in the main stand like a theatre audience.
The hardcore support consisted of around 20 youths chanting and banging a drum behind the goal and a noisy contingent of around 30 Lithuanians.
Five reporters attended the post-match media conference.
Liechtenstein had beaten Lithuania 2-0 in the Euro 2012 qualifiers but this time the visitors reversed the score with two second-half goals, leaving the hosts pointless after three games in Group G.
There have been suggestions that teams such as Liechtenstein should play a preliminary competition and, while Zaugg admitted that he would like more matches against opposition of the same standard, he said there was something special about facing top sides.
“Every time we go to the (qualifying) draw, we naturally hope that we can play Germany, France or England, that is fantastic, even though we know we have no chance against them,” he said.
He also pointed out that players simply needed more than a passport and a pair of football boots to get into his team.
With more than 3,000 regular players, being among the top eleven is no mean feat even in such a small country.
“I tell them that they can be proud that they are national team players who represent this country,” said Zaugg. It’s not something anyone can do.”
(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Patrick Johnston; )
