Köbi Kuhn

Infobox Football biography
playername = Köbi Kuhn


fullname = Jakob Kuhn
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1943|10|12|df=y
cityofbirth = Zürich
countryofbirth = Switzerland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Midfield
currentclub =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1961-1977
1977-1979
clubs = FC Zürich
Grasshopper
caps(goals) =
nationalyears =
nationalteam = Switzerland
nationalcaps(goals) = 63
manageryears = 1983
1983 - 1984
0000 - 2001
2001 - 2008
managerclubs = FC Zürich
FC Zürich
Switzerland U21
Switzerland

Jakob "Köbi" Kuhn (born October 12, 1943 in Zürich) is a Swiss football manager and former player.

During his playing career he played primarily for FC Zürich and won 63 caps for Switzerland, one of which was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England. As a manager he led his national team to Euro 2004 and 2008 and the 2006 World Cup.

Playing career

Kuhn has been described as a clever and skilful midfielder. He spent 16 years with FC Zürich, captaining them to the Swiss Super League six times, as well as the Swiss Cup five times. He also played for Zürich in European Cup semi-finals in 1963 and 1977. He left FCZ for city rivals Grasshopper-Club Zürich for a short period towards the end of his career. Internationally he won 63 caps, and as a 22-year-old played one game at the 1966 World Cup, before being sent home in disgrace, and later banned for 12 months from the national team, for breaking a curfew. [cite web | title=International bright young things | work=ESPN | url=http://www.espnsoccernet.fr/columns/story?id=368965&root=worldcup&cc=%25 | accessdate=June 19 | accessyear=2008 ]

Managerial career

After retiring as a player, Kuhn returned to FC Zürich in 1979 to take charge of their youth set-up. He was later caretaker-manager of the club for two short spells between May 1983 and July 1984, as the club searched for a permanent successor to Daniel Jeandupeux. In 1995 he left the club and took a youth-coaching position at the Swiss FA. He led the national under-18 side to an impressive showing at the 1997 European Chamionships, and later guided the U21s towards qualification for the finals of their respective European Championships for the first time.

Kuhn was promoted to coach of the senior national team in June 2001, replacing the Argentine Enzo Trossero. Kuhn had been approached to become Trossero's assistant, but turned down the offer. With no real senior coaching experience, his appointment as head coach was first not universally applauded, but he has led the Swiss to Euro 2004 and the second round of the 2006 World Cup. Since Kuhn took part in the 1966 World Cup as a player, Switzerland had qualified for just one World Cup, in 1994, and one Euro finals, in 1996. Kuhn spent seven years as coach of the national team, and utilised many of the youth players he had worked with at youth level. He is second in all-time matches coached for the Swiss team, behind Karl Rappan. [ [http://newtwg.sbs.com.au/epl/index.php?pid=st&cid=72487 Kuhn wants special Swiss win] - newtwg.sbs.com.au - Reuters, 2006.]

Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006

After out-qualifying Russia and the Republic of Ireland to reach Euro 2004, the Swiss team drew 0-0 with Croatia in their opening game of the finals, before defeats to England and France saw them finish bottom of their group. In the game against holders France, Johan Vonlanthen scored Switzerland's equalising goal before Thierry Henry's two late goals. Vonlanthen's goal was not only his team's only goal of the tournament, but also made him the tournament's youngest ever scorer.

On their way to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the Swiss team were defensively strong, and were undefeated in qualification Group 4. A bad-tempered play-off against Turkey followed, which saw the Swiss progress on away goals. At the World Cup finals, the Swiss defence again shone, as they topped their group which included France, Togo and South Korea. In the second round, the team were eliminated on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Ukraine. The team suffered the rare feat of getting knocked out without conceding a goal.

Euro 2008

Kuhn announced in October 2006 that he would terminate his engagement as manager of the Swiss squad after Euro 2008. In the week leading up to the tournament, Kuhn's preparations were disrupted by an epileptic attack hospitalising his wife. [cite web | title= Wife of Swiss coach suffers fit | work=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/switzerland/7432571.stm | accessdate=June 16 | accessyear=2008 ] In the opening game the Czech Republic eventually managed to break down the Swiss co-hosts' resistance to win 1-0. During the game, Switzerland hit the bar and had captain Alexander Frei limp out of the tournament. In their second match, against Turkey, Switzerland wasted several good chances in a torrential downpour before succumbing to a late, deflected winner, making the score 2-1. Prior to the game, Kuhn had been told that his wife had been woken from her 9-day induced coma.

Kuhn told the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, "I had two feelings inside me on Wednesday, one of huge disappointment because we had gone out the tournament and a great joy because of the surprise news from the hospital." [cite web | title=Swiss coach's wife woken from coma | work=SBS | url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/switzerland/swiss-coachs-wife-woken-from-coma-120843/ | accessdate=June 16 | accessyear=2008 ]

Already-qualified Portugal provided the opposition for Kuhn's final match, which saw Portugal make eight changes to their team. Switzerland won 2-0 with both goals from Hakan Yakin. After the game, the Swiss players unfurled a banner reading, 'Merci Köbi' as a mark of gratitude for his work. Kuhn had stated earlier it was the aim of the Swiss squad to win the tournament at home. His successor will be Ottmar Hitzfeld the Bayern Munich head coach.

References

Persondata
NAME= Kuhn, Jakob
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Kuhn, Köbi
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Football player and coach
DATE OF BIRTH= October 121943
PLACE OF BIRTH= Zürich, Switzerland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=