Starting today with the game against Slovakia, the fight for a spot on the Swiss roster at the IIHF Worlds in May begins. "There are people here who play very well in the league," head coach Patrick Fischer explains to the news agency Keystone-SDA. "Now they get a new motivation, a new perspective."
There is, however, also pressure on the Swiss team this season. Fischer knows about the expectations of the fans: "We have now reached a point where people believe in us," he says. "They talk about winning. That's a sign of trust."
The head coach of the Swiss team knows how it is to play a World Championship campaign on home ice and has fond memories of that time: "As a player, I was fortunate to experience a home World Cup in 1998. That was a highlight in my life."
The Swiss national team is going to play their first game at the Deutschland Cup this afternoon (at 16:15) against Slovakia.
On the weekend they will face host Germany (November 9, 13:00) and Russia (November 10, 11:00). All games will be broadcast on MySports.
