“I ruled out being a FCB coach”

East of Switzerland instead of Rheinknie, Challenge League instead of Super League, Wil instead of Basel; However, Alex Frei is approaching his new job at FC Wil with great motivation.

It was almost ten years ago to this day. On September 3, 2010, the Swiss national team tested against Australia (0-0) in St. Gallen. At the time, Alex Frei was already the record scorer for the national team, but he has been waiting for his 41st international goal for twelve months after it didn’t work out at the World Cup in South Africa. Then the 60th minute: Switzerland receives a penalty, Frei approaches and shoots. The St. Gallen audience whistles loudly. And the whistle is even louder when Frei leaves the seat a few moments later. A few weeks later, the spectators whistle in Basel, whereupon Frei resigns from the national team.

It was a long time ago, but the 41-year-old has apparently never forgotten the whistles. When he was introduced as the new manager at FC Wil on Monday, Frei said: “If someone had told me nine years ago that I would one day work in eastern Switzerland, I would have declared him crazy. It wasn’t always a great love. But I am convinced that it will be a great love. “

His heart actually belongs to FC Basel. But a few weeks ago Alex Frei canceled his contract as an under-21 coach at his local club after then-head coach Ruedi Zbinden offered him a contract as head coach, but the club’s management obviously had other plans and eventually hired Ciriaco Sforza as the new head coach. Frei says something surprising: “People who know me know that I ruled out being an FCB coach.”

Regardless, you don’t want to miss out on bad words about your heart club. “I will never criticize FC Basel in public,” Frei said. “I had an amazing time in Basel, I was able to shape the club as a player and I was able to learn a lot during my time as a coach in the youth.” He has always planned his playing career step by step. “That’s why Wil is also the ideal solution to tackle.” Now he is eager to “see if the ideas I have come up with will work out in the Challenge League.”