Swiss national team director Pierluigi Tami will step down from his role at the end of November, marking the conclusion of his seven-year tenure as the primary liaison between the senior squad and the Swiss Football Association (SFV).
His final duties include overseeing the remainder of the 2026 Nations League campaign, a period currently complicated by both personnel shortages and internal friction.
The national team enters this final stretch of the year needing only one point to secure promotion back to League A. Despite this favorable standing, the squad faces immediate challenges, most notably the absence of captain Granit Xhaka.
The 34-year-old midfielder was ruled out of the upcoming matches after suffering a calf injury during his club match for Sunderland on Sunday. Following an MRI examination on Monday, the team confirmed he would not join the training camp.
Tami addresses Breel Embolo’s recent criticism
Beyond the injury concerns, the team must manage the fallout from recent comments made by forward Breel Embolo. Embolo, who arrived in Switzerland following his club commitments in Atlanta, recently expressed public frustration regarding his previous exclusion from the national team roster.
His absence followed reports of his conviction concerning illegal COVID-19 test certificates. In an interview with CH Media, Embolo argued that his situation was distinct from Xhaka’s, noting his vaccination status and asserting that his legal issues were known for years, according to watson.
Tami confirmed that a formal discussion with the forward is scheduled before the team travels to Slovenia for Friday’s match. “Breel is right – his case is not the same as Xhaka’s,” Tami told watson.
“But what he did with the interview was not helpful. The decision to leave him out for the last few games was to protect the team. The discussions would otherwise have distracted from the sportingly important tasks. It was the right decision at that moment, even if Breel didn’t like it.”
Roster adjustments for November matches
The team is dealing with several other availability issues as they prepare for the upcoming fixtures. Left-back Miro Muheim has withdrawn from the squad due to muscular problems. The status of Ruben Vargas, who is suffering from a gastrointestinal infection, remains uncertain, while Ricardo Rodriguez and Zeki Amdouni are also managing injuries.
To compensate for these absences, coach Murat Yakin has called up three new players: full-back Isaac Schmidt, winger Samuel Ballet, and central defender Roggerio Nyokassi. The team is scheduled to play Slovenia away on Friday, followed by a home match against Scotland at the Sitterstadion in St. Gallen next Monday.
Tami reflects on squad development and Yakin's appointment
Tami, who helped establish the director position in 2019, reflected on his time guiding the team, which included a run to the World Cup quarterfinals. He cited the development of the squad and staff as his primary achievements. Regarding the appointment of Yakin, Tami said that his decision faced initial skepticism when he proposed the former FC Schaffhausen coach in 2021.
“There were critical voices,” Tami told watson. “They said he was a coach from FC Schaffhausen in the Challenge League. But I knew about his tactical qualities. Today, for me, Murat is one of the best national coaches in the world. That also applies to our team.” The SFV is expected to announce Tami’s successor in the coming weeks.
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