Disappointment for the Swiss at the home World Cup

The Swede Robin Nilsberth should have a special memory of the Floorball World Championships in Zurich. Every time he touched the ball in the Swiss Life Arena, he was loudly booed by a section of the Swiss crowd. As an insider revealed, it has to do with the fact that he severely fouled a Swiss opponent at a previous World Cup.

Nilsberth was also whistled when he made his attempt in the semi-final against arch-rivals Finland in a penalty shoot-out – and under maximum pressure: Because he knew he had to score, otherwise Sweden would reach the final for the first time at the 14th Men’s World Cup miss.

And what did Nilsberth do? Not only did he sink the ball, he even did it with a so-called “Zorro trick”, a technically demanding feint. After the match, he said the boos didn’t bother him, they actually goaded him.

The Swiss wanted to be a team for the “Special Moments”, but they just weren’t

Yes, maybe the Swiss would have needed a player like Nilsberth. One who shows resilience when the going gets tough. There was something disillusioning about the way the Swiss broke apart in the decisive phases of the finals at the weekend. In the semi-final against the Czech Republic they led 2-1 before going down 3-11 despite having a day more rest than their opponents before that.

And this blow must have had such a strong impact that in the bronze match against Finland they were 4-0 down until just before the middle of the game. The Swiss had decided that this match would become a “therapy”. They still managed to catch up spectacularly, but instead of winning a medal on home soil there were tears of disappointment. The Swiss wanted to be a team for the “Special Moments” as they had announced, but they just weren’t.

Everything would have been arranged for an unforgettable party. On both final days, the arena was sold out with 11,254 spectators, which is the new record for a floorball game in Switzerland. And the fans went along passionately.

Swiss television had fueled the euphoria in advance with a documentary film about the Swiss team, in which the protagonists were very close to the people. The goalie Pascal Meier went into the World Cup arena when it was still under construction – to visualize what it could be like when the hall is full. Tim Braillard was accompanied on a ski tour. And coach David Jansson, who lives in the solitude of northern Sweden, presented himself as a part-time househusband and hobby ice fisherman. The trained journalist used to read traffic reports on local radio in his home country. The film was entitled: “We – world champions?”

The answer to that question could not have been more painful. Goalie Meier even had to retire early from the tournament due to a gastrointestinal infection. And those responsible for sport in the team had to judge themselves harshly. They were self-critical and said that this sobering result should be a wake-up call for all of Swiss floorball.

Taking stock was something special for coach Jansson. Because he will now leave his post after eight years – but will remain with the Swiss association. In his new role, he will oversee the “Swiss way” project, a program to close the gap to the Swedish team, who became world champions again. Yes, and where are the problems?

Jansson quickly talks about the mentality, about the lack of acceptance in Switzerland of pursuing a sporting activity as a professional occupation. Here the feeling of being dependent on a job is greater than in Sweden if you practice a sport that you didn’t get used to at 40. Many of his players have a high level of sacrifice, but there is a lack of breadth in that regard. One of the players was only able to devote more time to floorball before the World Cup thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign. Manuel Maurer, one of two Swiss players in Sweden who play in the world’s top league, says he’s still leading a student life at just under 30 so that he can pursue floorball seriously.

And at the home World Cup, the Swiss simply didn’t manage to maintain a high level for long in the finals. In defense the cover work was carried out carelessly, in attack there was a lack of determination. In comparison to the Czechs, there were even marked athletic deficits. And so Swiss floorball is closer to not being one of the top 3 nations than to winning the men’s World Cup gold for the first time.

The Czechs seem to have passed. Especially because they have won the last two world championship titles at junior level, while the Swiss have not made it onto the podium at both tournaments. For that reason alone it was a delicate assessment when it was said that the door to the World Cup final was “open wide” for the Swiss when it became apparent that they could avoid the Swedes in the semi-finals.

When the National League A is played in gymnasiums, it doesn’t attract many people

However, the organizational success of the World Championships in Zurich should encourage Switzerland to continue to focus on this sport. Compared to the 2012 home tournament in the Hallenstadion, the budget has tripled (to seven million francs) and the number of spectators has roughly doubled (to 155,000 visitors). Big players who do not come from the floorball industry could be seen on the sponsor walls. And SRF should continue to make slots available because the rights are still affordable for the TV station in this sport.

If only there were still the infrastructure problem. When the National League A is played in gymnasiums, it doesn’t attract many people. The Swiss champions GC (men) and Dietlikon (women) are playing their home games this season in front of an average of almost 230 fans. The games would be attractive. Robin Nilsberth, for example, the Swedish magician, is under contract with Zug United. But don’t think that whistling at him will throw him off. It would only make him stronger and he would stab like «Zorro».