Philppe Senderos, Servette starts the season on Thursday in Molde (Nor). How important is the Conference League to you?
Philippe Senderos: We take it very seriously. For Servette, it is an opportunity to keep Geneva on the European map. Such a trip is extraordinary. Playing European is always a positive thing. But it won’t be easy: Molde is one of the largest teams in this phase. The Norwegian league started long ago. Molde is at the top after 14 games. You’re in good shape.
Servette was last in December 2020. At the time you said the Europa League was part of the declaration. Are you worried about this long trip to Norway after all?
There were a few things that worried us last year. Between the late end of the season and the start of European qualifying, it was like we didn’t have a break. Autumn was tough, especially with the two team quarantines. The club was always at the limit with the fear of new corona cases.
Kriens is already in quarantine this week, a first game in the Challenge League has been postponed. Afraid of a similar scenario?
That is the risk, everyone is afraid of it. We are seeing that infections are on the rise again in many countries. With no real record from the league or the authorities, Servette is doing his best to avoid incidents.
Were the players forced to get vaccinated?
No, everyone is free, like in society. The majority are ready to be vaccinated. Vaccination can be recommended mainly because it reduces the risk of disease. But it is not the solution for everything. I got my second dose earlier this week and still need to get tested while traveling.
On Sunday there is the derby against Lausanne at the start of the league.
That’s nice and interesting. We want to show what we can do.
Which place in the table do you want to target?
None. We want to keep the club in the Super League. In the last two seasons we have done better than we had hoped with two European qualifiers. The goal is to keep going.
At the end of May, however, President Pascal Besnard named the championship title as a “medium-term goal” in the “Tribune de Genève”.
In the medium and long term.
The word “master” is not a taboo?
Having ambition shouldn’t be a taboo. You have to be ambitious. On the other hand, you also have to know where you stand, be humble and keep working. Servette is one of the great historical clubs. We have to want to win titles, but also play good football.
You have been head of sport for almost a year now. What surprised you most about your new job?
It was my wife who was surprised. She thought I would be more at home after I retired as a footballer. But the days are even longer as a manager.