Yakin misses Swiss cut
15 May 2006 - 13:29:40
Switzerland playmaker Hakan Yakin has been left out of his country's World Cup finals squad after suffering an injury-hit season.
The 29-year-old has struggled with groin problems for much of the campaign and a late-season return to action with Young Boys came too late to impress coach Kobi Kuhn.
He said: "Yakin is a talented player, but we have a lot of other talented players to choose from.
"I watched his last couple of games and could see how much he improved under the pressure, but I also have to think of the life of the team and I think there are some question marks over him in that regard.
"I spoke to him about my decision and I think he has accepted it, with a heavy heart of course."
Squad
Goalkeepers: Zuberbuhler (FC Basel), Coltorti (Grasshoppers), Benaglio (CD Nacional).
Defenders: Djourou (Arsenal), Magnin (Stuttgart), Senderos (Arsenal), Grichting (Auxerre), Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), Behrami (Lazio), Muller (Olympique Lyon), Degen (Borussia Dortmund).
Midfielders: Margairaz (FC FC Zurich), Vogel (AC Milan), Cabanas (Cologne), Wicky (Hamburg), Gygax (Lille), Degen (FC Basel), Dzemaili (FC FC Zurich), Barnetta (B Leverkusen).
Strikers: Frei (Rennnes), Streller (Cologne), Lustrinelli (Sparta Prague), Vonlanthen (NAC Breda).