The Zug U21 Elite team has found its stride. After three defeats in the first three games, head coach Reto Suri’s team won the next three games. “There is still a lot of room for improvement,” says Reto Suri, explaining: “We have extremely good phases in which the team shows what it is capable of. But the decisive factor is how the players behave when things aren’t going so well – there is room for improvement there.” The same applies to the goal of maintaining the same level throughout the season.
This is all the more challenging as the team sometimes changes significantly from game to game. Due to a structural adjustment in the youth sector at association level, there are now U21 teams instead of U20 teams and U18 teams instead of U17 teams. This has led to major shifts. For EVZ, this means that half of the players in the U21 elite team are young enough to play at U18 level. This has led to lively exchanges with U18 head coach Sven Lindemann – but also with Michael Liniger, head coach of the NL team. The permeability created by the defensive playing style taught at all levels is once again bearing fruit: U21 elite players such as Dorian Moret are able to compensate for the absence of established professionals. “Our organization is in a luxurious position when it comes to developing young players,” says Reto Suri, who has already fielded 29 players.
The Zug U18 elite team won two of its five games. Sven Lindemann’s interim conclusion is: “Inexperience is noticeable in some situations. But what sets the team apart is that it never gives up – the attitude is right.” The absence of players in the older teams had a major impact on his team. “Sometimes this meant we had a small squad. It’s up to us coaches to find solutions in this situation and get the best out of each team,” says Sven Lindemann.
