Swiss coach accuses top ref of bias

AFP - 10 June 2008 21:31

Swiss national football team coach Jakob Kuhn, seen here on June 07, 2008, could be in hot water with UEFA after publicly questioning the neutrality of top Italian referee Roberto Rosetti, the official who took charge of the Euro 2008 opening match.

BASEL, Switzerland (AFP) - Switzerland coach Jakob Kuhn could be in hot water with UEFA after publicly questioning the neutrality of top Italian referee Roberto Rosetti, the official who took charge of the Euro 2008 opening match.

Switzerland dominated the encounter but succumbed to a 1-0 defeat by the Czech Republic after having two appeals for penalties turned down in connection with incidents in which the ball struck the arm of Czech defenders inside the box.

Television replays suggested Rosetti's judgement had been correct on both occasions but Kuhn has refused to let the issue lie and he returned to it once more on the eve of his side's second match, against Turkey here on Wednesday.

Asked about Switzerland's inability to take the chances they created against the Czechs, Kuhn fired back: "I believe we've got the ability to score. You need a bit of luck, which we did not have against the Czech Republic, and you need a neutral referee of course.

"We would have scored if the referee had been neutral."

Kuhn refused to comment on the brawl that erupted the last time the two countries met, in a November 2005 World Cup play-off match in Istanbul.

"This issue is almost three years old now. As in life, football evolves very quickly.

"These things are over and dealt with. We want to perform well on the pitch tomorrow, that is what is most important. I don't think there is any point in commenting on things that happened in the past."

Both sides have their backs to the wall after opening defeats, to Portugal in the case of the Turks.

Kuhn added: "You never consider the possibility of defeat but we are of course aware that, if we lose, the tournament for us is one more match, against Portugal, and nothing else.

"That is why we want to win tomorrow. This is still a very young team, it has a future and that is quite obvious as well.

"If I'm not mistaken, Turkey are ranked 12th or 13th in the world rankings. We are quite a bit away from that. We know they are a strong, top team and we will have to fight hard to match them."

Turkish coach Fatih Terim, who confirmed that playmaker Emre would miss the match with a hamstring tear, echoed Kuhn's comments.

"The fact that the Swiss also lost their first match makes tomorrow (Wednesday) even more interesting," he said. "It is an important, perhaps the last, chance for them and for us. Everyone knows how important this match is going to be.

"The Euro did not start for us last week but I believe it will start for us tomorrow."