Johan Djourou, a former central defense counsel with Arsenal and Hamburg, is now the main coach of the Swiss women’s national team.

In an interview with FlashScore, it talks about the development of women’s football in Switzerland and promise a successful home European Championship.

How is Swiss women’s football?

“Don’t work too bad. If you look at the players who play abroad, who play for big clubs, I think it’s quite interesting, like Sydney Schertenleib or His Waltor other players who are in Germany … We also had Evalions of Iman Beney, who went to Manchester City, and Naomi LuyetWho went to Frankfurt. So we have a very fine generation. “

But the Swiss Women’s League is not professional, is it?

“That’s what he doesn’t miss in Switzerland today, so the players are more concentrating on football than his job. Unfortunately, they have to work on football. So that’s exactly what’s still missing in Swiss football.”

Is that one of the Federation plans that Swiss women’s football should one day become professional?

“Of course there are aspirations. We have a lot more. We would like to see the number of registered players and have more young girls who are applying for football. We are currently at 80,000 after euros.

We are already working on wide football and training. And then, of course, we would like women’s football in Switzerland to become professional, but we also know that unfortunately, it is a matter of resources, TV rights and income. We have a will, but I think there is little to do before we get there. “

Is there a strict plan for that?

“We have established a legacy to leave lasting, long-term influence after the euro. On a professional side we are a country that is incomparable with France or other countries in which things are more professional. Thus, Switzerland grows, Switzerland progresses, Switzerland teaches and we can see that we train with players today.

“But that is complicated to turn on, given from where women’s football starts. They are still allowed in the entire season. So it’s all to be placed in a place to try and has much more professional.

“To achieve a professional level, you need a lot of skills”

Before Euro 2025. years, was there a desire at the national level to make things accelerate things to ensure that Swiss female football works a little better?

“There was always a wish for improvement or at least try and learn from others. We know that Denmark Working well, we know that Germany works well … but then it is a question about the proportion, it is a question of the number of players, it is a question for a professional level, you need a lot of skills. And sometimes there are people who were not necessarily dressed for female football.

So there are all kinds of aspects. But the truth is that in Zala to Euro, one of my programs, the inpulse program was to do everything to optimize our performance in euros, to optimize on an athletic and nation team. “

It was said that Swiss women’s football came a long way in the last ten years. What exactly has changed?

“I think it is partly opening the limits by certain players, like Lia Wänti, a Geraldine Reuteler who plays in Frankfurt, is also in abroad, and” in order then happen abroad, “although it happened.

The same applies to training, which is good today with the training center we have in Biel, where players are accompanied by a very young age to have a clear path to follow if they are mentally strong. So there is a lot of work done over the years, but is inspired and what we get from players who play abroad. “

“We must be determined to play young Swiss players”

And will this job continue after the euro?

“Yes, of course, it is part of our inherited program. The legacy program asks for clubs to participate based on certain criteria or parameters that can meet, after which they earn and speed up their progress.

Our goal is to optimize trainers training, players’ training and people who are also involved in women’s football. It is a really program for developing wide football, because we know that soon as soon as football is better, finish with multiple players with interesting potential for the future. “

And when we see that certain clubs, especially young guys play a training game, is there a desire for a national training for women’s football training?

We want to have as many Swiss players as possible in our league. So, you must understand, at some point, the Swiss Championship is a springboard, a championship that provides training for other countries.

“And I think that’s slowly seeing the examples I gave, Naomi Luyet and Noemi Ivelj, who now go and show that he is the championship of high quality. But that we should be determined to play young players with Swiss players.

Are clubs that set training centers?

Again it is a question of resources. There are also the Federation Center and then there are professional clubs, with facilities for younger than 15 years playing with boys, but we do not really have such training centers.

You say that the Swiss Championship is a springboard. Is it still complicated to keep young talents like Luyet or Beney in Switzerland?

Yes, clearly. And then it is a question of resources. These young players want to earn a living and do nothing but football. So today is a complicated long to keep a young talent if you know that abroad you can earn a lot more money and be a full-time professional.

“With what happens, people are aware of the potential”

Are you optimistic in the future of Swiss women’s football when you see all the national enthusiasm for Euro 2025?

“I think people learned they find them to consume the product and prices. But there is euro. But there is the excitement, passion and so on. We will have to be well to subtly that we would subtle subtly.”

If we take France as an example, World Cup 2019. It is not immediately accompanied by changes for French women’s football …

“That’s aware. That’s why we need to find new formulas, new ideas and have a lot of great matches, but that some girls will be played in front of 2,000, 3000, perhaps as many as 1,000 spectators. And that’s all part of growing up. You have to to accept it.

“It’s a product during a flowering. We can’t expect 25,000 people in every game of Swiss league, after the euro. That would be unreal. We must continue to build still and add one brick, so we can achieve something permanently.

Will this European Championship force director of clubs and the Federation to take up a larger female football account?

“Yes, of course he will. I don’t think we can hide anymore. With what happens, people are aware of the potential. So it’s up to us to think about how we can continue to display and use this product in the best effect.

Did you expect such a huge answer? Since today there are cities where it is difficult to find the Swiss women’s jersey of the national team …

“I was expecting this. I know the team and her quality. So, I know that people have hesitated, but it’s great that people find and see quality and beauty, of course, the results you need.

And I think the girls put on the wheel to the wheel, and people realized that it wasn’t a matter of boy or girls, that these were women fighting for their country, it is clear to thicken. And it is great to see this national enthusiasm at matches, with shirts everywhere, is extraordinarily. “

“Some players will continue to emphasize that we can always better”

As someone who is in constant contact with Natia, is it a topic in the locker room to say that there is a desire for the promotion of the Swiss Championship, for the promotion of Swiss women’s football?

“I think it’s everyone’s battle for a long time. If you look at Lia Wätites, when there were no one in the stage, and today they are clear that they are clear that they are clear that they are clear.

“So the message was always the same, which is that women’s football accepted for his qualities and her value, without any stains, only to have their place.

On the streets of Switzerland, we see a lot of advertising with their faces. Does it make them more identifying them, but also lying when it comes to defending female football?

These girls have been identified. I think it is important to ensure that young players can identify with their heroins. This would happen to men, and it is quite normal to have their place in marketing everywhere where they go and everywhere in every city.

Last question regarding the Swiss team. As the main coach, are you optimistic about the match against Spain?

As for the game, today is 50-50. We know that one of the best teams in the world are, but today is 0-0. And that will be 0-0 in the beginning, so it will be up to us to put all our ingredients, passion and determination to try to extract anxiety.

Follow Switzerland and tonight tonight.