Swiss national team boss Ottmar Hitzfeld has announced that his job as a manager is over. Hitzfeld is regarded as one of the top coaches in the world. He has been in charge of several great teams like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid over the years. After his long career with clubs, Hitzfeld has been managing national teams like Switzerland in the last few years. He has been relatively successful at international level as well. Recently, he almost got Switzerland into the semi-finals of the World Cup, which would have been a major achievement.

They managed to keep out little Messi and Angel di Maria for much of the 119 minutes and it was only in the final minute of extra time that they scored to send Argentina into the semi-finals. Even though Switzerland now leave the competition, they can do so with their head held high because of the turnaround in fortunes. Hitzfeld was shocked to see his Switzerland team all over the place in the 5-2 defeat against France. Since then, they have recovered quite well and it is a mark of the manager.

Hitzfeld will now be working as a television pundit. He commands the respect of top managers like Sir Alex Ferguson. He won the Champions League with two different teams. “My job as a coach has finished. I’m proud of my career. I don’t lose when I work on TV. I’ve had some marvellous teams. Every moment in football sticks in your memory. It’s been a great honour and I have a heart full of emotion,” said Hitzfeld. Switzerland will now start their search for a new manager and they will hope to appoint him before the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying. Switzerland are in the same group along with England, Slovenia, and Estonia.