Fabian Frei returns to Ugli – 'I'm looking forward to returning'

interview

Fabian Frei left FC Basel for Winterthur in September. Ahead of his return to St. Jacobs Park, the 35-year-old spoke to Keystone-SDA about his departure, possible relegation, unethical offers and his very specific sleep rhythm.

Thursday afternoon, before 5 p.m. Fabian Frey is on his way to training. So not FC Winterthur, but “my boys”, as he calls Frauenfeld's C-juniors. For the Frauenfeld native, who returned to his native country two years ago, it's a project close to his heart. He also returned to his roots in sports. In early autumn, he left FC Basel at the last minute and returned to FC Winterthur, where he left in 2004 to conquer the football world.

Fabian Frei, did you survive the culture shock going from the big FC Basel to the quiet FC Winterthur?
In that sense, it wasn't a culture shock. But worlds do collide. At FCB you can experience football as it has evolved – just like it used to be. Time stood still on Xu Cen's lawn. I don't mean that in a negative way at all.

Do you have any examples?
Here each player only has 20 centimeters of space in the dressing room. In Joggeli it is one meter. It bothers other players, but I think it's cool – maybe because I still have a certain connection to this stadium.

How has Schützenwiese changed since you left in 2004?
not much. The infrastructure is virtually the same. Some of the staff from that time are still there. For example, Luca Zuffi's father. He was my junior coach and is still here. The same goes for team leads.

Fabian Frey has a lot to celebrate at FC Basel.Image: trapezoid

Is it this consistency that brings you back to Winterthur?
Being close to where I live and being connected to the club were the deciding factors. In theory, St. Gallen is also a possibility. But given the philosophy the club has followed in recent years, that's not right.

Are there any alternatives to your previous two clubs?
Not in Switzerland. Although you should never rule it out outright.

What about abroad? What if a Saudi Arabian club came and said: You used to be a Swiss national team player, and we gave you 10 million a year?
Morality is important, there is no doubt about it. Saudi Arabia is a sensitive subject. But if someone came and gave you ten million, you might start thinking. I'm glad I didn't receive such an invitation.

Instead, Winterthur. Are you looking forward to such a resinous season?
Of course, at this point I'd love to get more perspective. But it's not the end of the world either. Apart from the game against Basel and the first 30 minutes against Lausanne, we had no chance against any opponent. There could have been more possibilities against St Gallen on Wednesday.

The fog game may tilt in your favor in the final stages. But the ball didn't want to go in. Reflection on the season so far?
You could say that. Not only that, but we missed a lot of opportunities. Equally typical, we conceded an equalizer almost as soon as the half-time whistle blew and failed to hold on to the lead at the break. We do a lot of things well. But somehow we currently lack the self-image to win. Still: it was valuable to finally get a point in St. Gallen. The most important thing is to show the reaction to the Basel game.

You talked about the worst-case scenario after the 1-6 defeat last weekend. What conclusions did you draw from the failure?
We processed and analyzed the game. We just played poorly and Basel had a relatively good day. That's how it came out. There are things we need to do better. Our own goals must become more sacred.

The first game against Basel was a disastrous defeat.Image: trapezoid

On Saturday you will return to your original duty station with Winterthur. Is there any special feeling?
I'm looking forward to this game, but I don't know how exciting it will be for me. Maybe it will be special, but maybe not.

Her departure from FCB caused a lot of uproar and incomprehension. For a player who has 543 games, five titles and three cup wins to his name, the nature of separation is not worth it.
I didn’t have to shy away from it: this wasn’t the farewell I wanted. But FCB and FCZ’s pre-game farewells were absolutely fine. It’s not a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life because it was so cool. It would have definitely been different, a better ending. Ultimately, this was not a dream concert. I don't have any feelings of resentment.

Fabian Frei received his farewell before the game against FC Zurich in September.Image: trapezoid

Has this separation damaged your relationship with FCB?
No. There are some people in the club that I miss more than others now, and there are some people that I miss less. This is normal. But it has nothing to do with the club at all. FCB is still a club close to my heart and always will be. I want him to leave the pitch a winner in all games – except against us.

What are your expectations for Saturday's reception in Basel?
I don't have any expectations. To be honest, a boo directed at me would have an impact on me and I would feel bad.

Like Xherdan Shaqiri in Basel, you are in Winterthur: the bearer of hope. Do you feel any particular pressure from supporters and those responsible?
No. In the conversations I had with sporting director Oliver Keizer and coach Ogojen Zalic before the transfer, I was never mentioned as a savior. I am who I am. They know what's in me, that's why they don't expect miracles from me. I was able to make an immediate impact on and off the court. If you are satisfied, I will be satisfied.

You often came on as a substitute at Basel and you didn't miss a minute at Winterthur. Does your body have to adapt to stress again?
The first 120 minutes of the cup game on Weir's artificial turf were horrific. There I had to endure a lot of pain in overtime. But it’s nice to get back into the rhythm. Now I feel good. Even after the English week, I didn't have any problems and I was actually looking forward to the next game.

In addition to this, Cristiano Ronaldo has a special sleep rhythm that allows him to get the most out of himself. What do you do to stay healthy?
I also have a special sleep rhythm (laughs). I give my son a bottle at night. Maybe this will keep me healthy. I have three kids at home, I’m on the road constantly, I move a lot, and I’m outside a lot. This is good for me. I'm also lucky that I don't need much sleep. That definitely helps too.

Winterthur Football Club is currently going through a difficult phase. How can you use your experience to help?
I always say: There is no use losing your mind, getting nervous and getting caught up in radicalism. We must remain calm, continue to work hard and analyze critically. We'll see over the winter break where we really stand. If we were still at the bottom, the tone would definitely get rougher. But we have to be realistic and not make things worse.

Would relegation at Winterthur be worth more than winning the title at FCB?
I wouldn't say that. But: given what I have achieved, it makes more sense for me to stay in the league at Winterthur as a regular player, rather than as a substitute or even just celebrating a title with a football club. stand. (Ritz/SDA)

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