TIMINGS NOT GREAT

Switzerland manager Ottmar Hitzfeld has expressed his displeasure at the timing and location of the World Cup matches for his team. Switzerland have qualified for the World Cup 2014 and they have been grouped along with France, Ecuador, and Honduras.

On paper, this looks like a group that Switzerland can realistically hope to qualify from since they have one of the experienced managers in the world. Hitzfeld has a lot of experience in the game after having been the manager of top clubs like Bayern Munich.

This could be his last job as a manager since the 65-year-old is coming to the end of his career. He would want to go out on a high by helping Switzerland reach the knockout stages of the competition. However, they have been given a huge task ahead of the World Cup. Switzerland will be playing in some of the hottest and humid regions in Brazil, which is not ideal for the players in a game according to the manager. He says that Sunderland will be discussing with top-level physiotherapists and doctors in order to arrive at solution.

He has criticised FIFA – the organising member behind the tournament – for looking at the commercial interest only and not understanding the need of the players.

"In Salvador it's very hot, Manaus is much worse because you are playing in a humid, tropical climate, with 95% humidity, and a temperature between 30 and 40 Celsius. I find it almost irresponsible that one has to play football in such a place, in the middle of the jungle, in the middle of the Amazon region. I think the commercial side has taken precedence and I am not in agreement with FIFA. Brazil is a big country and you have to fly for five hours from Salvador to Manaus," said Hitzfeld.