“It is not easy to have a lot of good players in this very, very small country. That’s a problem. We have players. But if I can only play with 11 or 12 best players, but when I have to change some player then it’s difficult,” Hans-Peter Zaugg, Liechtenstein Head Coach, said.

Half of Liechtenstein’s team are amateurs, with day jobs ranging from bank workers to teachers. Some find it hard to get time off work, but for Ronny Buechel, that’s not too big a problem, as he is a fitness trainer.

“In my job it’s a bit easier because with my work I can do craft training when I want. But with other players it’s more difficult, because they work at the bank for eight hours and go to training after that,” Ronny Buechel said.

Liechtenstein have been playing qualifying matches since 1996, and you can count their competitive wins on one hand.

Liechtenstein were beaten by Germany 4-0 in their previous qualifier on March 28. (AFP Photo / Oliver Lang)

However, things are improving, helped in part by more players plying their trade abroad, like Mario Frick, who plays for Siena in Italy, while more and more members of the team are playing in the Swiss and Austrian leagues.

However, Liechtenstein’s head coach, admits that even this is not enough most of the time:

“A lot of things have come in place for my team to get a good result. My team has to have all the players at top level. And the other team must not be so motivated and think that playing against Liechtenstein is easy. And if they would miss chances in front of goal. Then maybe we have a very, very small chance,” Hans-Peter Zaugg said.

Russia and Liechtenstein have met just twice, with the Russians winning on both occasions.

It will be a very tough game for one of the minnows of European football, but Hans Peter Zaugg says his players will enjoy the run-out.

“Of course it’s a very difficult game for us, because the Russian team is very, very strong. They have some excellent players,” Hans Peter Zaugg said.

It will be a long time before Liechtenstein’s footballers are able to reach the heights set by their alpine skiers, but a result against Russia will certainly help do wonders to continue the country’s steady rise up the world rankings.

Lichtenstein has so far earned one point in the campaign for South Africa 2010. They have scored no goals, but managed to bring a 0-0 draw from Azerbaijan.

Russia sits second in their group with four points, behind Germany, but with a game in hand.
The Germans are playing Wales on April 4, who still possess some chances to go to South Africa in 2010.