AT Euro 2004, Switzerland Murat Yakin had the unenviable task of marking England’s explosive new teenage sensation Wayne Rooney.
It did not go well. Like an unruly force of nature, 18-year-old Rooney netted twice in a 3-0 win out in Portugal to make his mark on the competition. Yakin never stood a chance.
But two decades on and Yakin is out for revenge, using those painful memories as fuel to the fire.
Asked about that encounter 20 years ago, the 49-year-old coach said: “It was a crazy situation. We didn’t behave well in advance and during the tournament.
“There was unrest. If you lose 3-0, it’s not pleasant. I was a player so I don’t have to explain it, that’s the coach’s job.
“There were players who made the difference like Michael Owen and Paul Gascoigne…”
A local journalist is quick to correct him. Not Gazza, but Wazza. Yakin smiles: “I am not a historian”. Perhaps he has chosen to wipe any trace of Rooney from his mind.
But as Yakin points out, a lot has changed with Swiss football since then. He said: “Today we practically have no background noise. You can’t compare it to that time.
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“We have developed as a team and learned from our mistakes. It was worth experiencing. I can benefit from it as a player and coach.”
Right now, Yakin is reaping the rewards of a stunning turnaround with the Swiss national team. Weeks before the Euros started, many were calling for him to resign.
It has been a tough period for Yakin, losing his mother last Autumn while dealing with the fallout of a below par Euros qualification campaign, drawing five of their 10 group games and finishing second behind Romania.
Now, he is the man of the moment. The man who is taking on the big nations with brave tactics and big ideas and more often than not coming out on top – just ask Germany and Italy.
And even if he is yet to extend his contract beyond this summer, he is also the man who has successfully blocked out the haters and emerged victorious.
He wants Southgate to do the same. The pair have developed a friendship over the years after meeting up at international manager conferences.
Yakin said: “Over the last few years, I’ve had good discussions with Gareth. I think we are on the same level. We understand each other too.
“When you have great players and you can choose from a lot of players and you see the results, of course there are problems in England.
“That’s why you have to concentrate on the football, nothing else. That’s the only thing we can do as coaches. I have experienced this personally over the past year too.”
Yakin is sympathetic towards Southgate’s situation, and admitted that most teams would have struggled to break down Slovakia’s low block that saw England needing some late, late magic from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane to get them over the line.
But do not mistake that sympathy for weakness. Whatever their relationship, Yakin is ready to end England’s Euros dream, and subsequently Southgate’s eight-year reign as boss.
Yakin said: “We are excited to see what solution they will have against us. With what formation, with what system, with what strategy they play against us.
“England have to take a bit of a cue from us. That makes us very dangerous, but it is up to us how we approach the rhythm. England can have an intensity if we allow them too.
“They have full-backs who tend to go higher, offensively, and that makes them dangerous. Long balls, second balls, that’s the style of play we also saw against Scotland.
“It can be a bit unpredictable. Random situations, you can’t train for that. You can’t predict that. One can only explain such situations. If that is the case, we simply have to be ready.”
Swiss skipper Granit Xhaka is expected to start against England despite struggling with an adductor injury which required a scan on Monday.
Former Arsenal midfielder Xhaka, 31, required injections to get through the Italy win and trained away from the squad yesterday, but the Swiss say his starting place is “not in danger”.
