Switzerland seeding just reward for years of grass-roots transformation and immigration

How has Switzerland - a small country, where football remains merely a popular sport rather than an all-consuming behemoth - transformed its nondescript World Cup pedigree into top seed status? Some commentators have cited cynicism, claiming that the Swiss have manipulated the Fifa rankings by playing fewer friendlies than other nations, against only modest opposition, to avoid diluting the competitive results they achieved in a weak qualifying group.

Despite its strong self-image of probity, Switzerland is certainly a country prone to pursuing its interests by pushing global rules to breaking point its banking sector, notoriously, has long strained the letter, let alone the spirit, of money laundering laws and other countries tax codes. But it is unfair to accuse the Swiss Football Association of such sharp practice because the 10 friendlies it has arranged in the last two years (only one less than England) have included fixtures against Brazil, Argentina and Germany, as well as away trips to Holland, Croatia and Greece.

The real explanation for the Swiss success in improving their footballing status lies in their much more admirable traits of thoroughness and commitment to quality. Nowhere are these characteristics better demonstrated than in the national football coaching structure. The philosophy behind the system is encapsulated by the Nati coach, Ottmar Hitzfelds observation that Germany has over six million registered footballers so they can afford to lose a few, whilst we have only 200,000 and have to make sure every talent reaches its potential.

The Swiss are achieving this objective through a coordinated coaching programme that reaches all the way down to the youngest kids at the smallest village clubs. Even the humblest parent-coaches are required to attend annual training courses held over intense, long weekends, or spread over several weekly sessions. They are also equipped with detailed, innovative and regularly updated training plans that make every session fresh, fun and focused on developing skills and game awareness. The most promising youngsters are frequently assessed and given extra coaching at elite regional centres, which are often based at professional clubs but never dominated by them.

The strongest evidence that the coaching structure is succeeding came in 2009, when Switzerland won the Under-17s World Cup a tournament for which they had never previously qualified. Several of that team have now graduated to the full national squad, including striker Haris Seferovic and midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Those atypical Alpine names provide a clue to the second reason for Switzerlands phenomenal improvement: immigration. The Balkan wars of the 1990s provoked a large influx of Yugoslavs into Switzerland. Their arrival coincided with the revamping of the national coaching scheme and their children bolstered the raw material available to it. As a glance down the Swiss squad list shows, these kids are now coming of age and making an impact, notably the former FC Basel, now Bundesliga-based, pair of Xherdan Shaqiri and Xhaka, both of whom were born in the same Kosovan town of Gnijlane before being brought to Switzerland as toddlers.

Rather than cynicism, Switzerlands story is a virtuous update of the enduring script for international footballing success - making the most of what you have.

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Switzerland seeding just reward for years of grass-roots transformation and immigration