Basel caretaker boss tired of hearing about Fink
Reuters - Monday 17 October 2011, 17:12
FC Basel go into
Tuesday's Champions League match against Benfica with a
caretaker coach who is already tired of talk about his
predecessor Thorsten Fink.
Former assistant coach Heiko Vogel was thurst into the
limelight when Fink (pictured) quit the club last Thursday to take charge
of Bundesliga strugglers Hamburg SV, having won two successive
Swiss titles in his stint at Basel.
Since then, all the talk has been of how Basel, who have
taken four points from their first two games in Group C, will
cope without the German who had a contract until 2013.
"The atmosphere in the squad will be fine, it's always been
great since I've been here," Vogel, Fink's assistant throughout
his two years at the club, told reporters as the subject was
raised again on Monday.
"I think we've talked enough about the change of coach, I
don't think it's fair.
"The Champions League is the biggest competition that exists
and we should concentrate on the game tomorrow instead of the
atmosphere in the squad.
"I have full and blind trust in the team."
Basel beat Otelul Galati in their opening match and exceeded
their own expectations with a 3-3 draw at Manchester United,
having led with a minute to go.
"We have full trust in the coach," said striker Marco
Streller. "The philosophy is the same and he knows the team. For
us, it's not a difficulty at all."
Basel beat lower division Schoetz 5-1 in a Cup match at the
weekend in Vogel's debut.