Granit Xhaka’s role as captain of the Switzerland national team is coming under question with reporter Sasha Ruefer arguing that Arsenal’s Premier League enforcer should be relieved of the armband , speaking to Die Welt Woche.
While the firebrand midfielder appears to put that tempestuous streak behind him to some extent – his last red card came 15 months ago, after all – Xhaka is still prone to the odd flashpoint.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach and Basel enforcer certainly appeared to stoke the flames during Switzerland’s 3-2 World Cup group-stage victory over old rivals Serbia; FIFA opening disciplinary proceedings after a tense and politically-charged affair (The Guardian).
And this is the sort of drama Ruefer would rather the captain of Switzerland avoid, even if he does understand the qualities Xhaka brings to the team.
Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka facing questions over his future as Switzerland captain
“Granit Xhaka is a leader. Someone who makes this team better,” says Ruefer, one of the most influential football reporters in Switzerland. “I realize wthat there is no longer an alternative to Xhaka. No one can hold a candle to him. He is the super figure.
“(But) for me, (the role of a captain) is not at all how Granit Xhaka behaves on the pitch. People are fed up with this behaviour.
“I think (the Swiss FA) should say; ‘Granit, we’ll give the band to someone else and build a second strong person in the team’. This would not be intended as a demotion. It would relieve Xhaka. It would be good for the big picture and for the group.”
Tobias Wedermann, a reporter for Swiss publication 20Minute, disagrees. The criticism coming Xhaka’s way, he believes, is unfair; insisting that Xhaka’s aggression and sometimes over-spilling emotions are as much as strength as they are a weakness.
“Apart from (Xherdan) Shaqiri, Xhaka is the best footballer to ever wear the national team jersey,” Wedermann argues. “Especially in the emotional games, he always delivered.
“I have the feeling that he can’t please anyone, and that everyone is always waiting for his next mistake. I’d rather have a strong Xhaka on the football field than someone who gives great interviews after the game.”
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