Switzerland kept their promise to the Northern Ireland national team, as coach Murat Yakin posted 9.3kg of Swiss chocolate to thank them for denying Italy in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Azzurri needed a victory in the final game played in Belfast, also maintaining the goal difference lead they had going into those last fixtures.
However, Northern Ireland held out for a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park and Switzerland crushed Bulgaria, allowing the Nati to book their spot at the 2022 World Cup.
While Italy prepare for the play-offs in March, Switzerland manager Yakin is keeping his promise by posting 9.3kg of chocolate to Northern Ireland โ 100g for every minute of that clean sheet.
This is brilliant! Northern Ireland helped ๐จ๐ญ to automatic qualification for the World Cup by holding Italy to a 0-0 draw in Belfast. @nati_sfv_asf kept their promise and has sent a very specific amount of chocolate their way! ๐๐
๐น @nati_sfv_asf pic.twitter.com/Oun7AzS7sx
โ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐๐ โ Craig King (@FootballSwissEN) November 24, 2021
One of the advantages of EU single market membership, eh, N.I.?
If this were socially acceptable this person should be arrested,
however this could even have nothing to do with social acceptability and quid pro quo which is illegal and if so EUFA, FIFA need to open an inquiry.
Let me explain
This person not worthy to be called a coach should know better and maybe he does than to do this.
This displays that bias Italy have dealt with in international tourneys since I was a youth in the 80’s form I can recall.
Most recent are all the Spain histrionics and antics but I digress.
But if this is quid pro quo then it needs to be looked into.
This is story is a nothing burger; a simple gesture of gratitude to Northern Ireland for putting the effort into a game when it was a dead rubber for them. Do you really believe that wealthy footballers can be bought for 9.3 kg of Swiss chocolate?? How far will that chocolate go when shared among a squad of players and the coaching team? If it was a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory then I might buy the amusing conspiracy theories.
We were not good enough, it’s as simple as that. Mancini and co have no one to blame but themselves. Instead of grasping at straws, we should be looking inward to address the flaws and failings.
This is illegal and shameful! It’s all what we thought behind the scenes they spit at us!
Paranoid us?
On another note, isn’t it interesting that Bulgaria held back Swiss at 1st half then suddenly 2nd half it was was 20-0 for swizz. This after telling the world no worries we will hold back Swiss. Swiss reminds me of the old Spain barca era.
Yes, historically, Italy has had to deal with bias and no more explicit than WC 2002.
However, no excuse for drawing Bulgaria at home and not defeating Switzerland in Sept.
Chill out – itโs a joke. And if I were Swiss Iโd be laughing. the tragedy is coming second in the group.
Meanwhile back in a zurich chocolate factory warehouse….
dring dring
Hans: Auctung I am the coach of Swizterzland who say that you are
Jarod: Hi you don’t know me but I have a large palette of chocolates to ship to bulgaria national team and need to check the postal code
Hans: Ah yes make sure it is compliments of me Hans the coach.
Jarod: oh okay okie doc
Hans: Okie doc (laughing) you Americans all crazy all
Call closes
…ah Hans non Homie- I have been analyzing behavioral patterns of teams since the 80’s and bulgaria although a minnow team is very hard to break down much like what we experienced with Sweden in last playoffs and they btw are the ones who troubled baggio at the semi final, maybe you can wing that yarn on a 16 yr old groupie but quite frankly you are an embarrassment to the sport and should resign actually for publicly offering a gift to Northern Ireland, the vanity, the hubris
BTW anybody thinking this is a non story is wrong, this sort of thing has caused many athletes and other people to lose their careers, you just can’t do that give a gift to the opposing team to thank them for knocking out a rival