By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – FIFA veteran Walter Gagg (pictured), the man leading a consortium to save two-time Swiss champions Neuchâtel Xamax from extinction, has hit out at the “crazy” behaviour of the club’s Chechen owner Bulat Chagaev and has promised to re-launch Xamax in the lower leagues.
Last week the club, who’s honorary President is none other than FIFA President Sepp Blatter, were thrown out of the Swiss league and stripped of their licence less than a year after being taken over by the Chechen businessman who took control from controversial Swiss Entrepreneur Sylvio Bernasconi.
The latest ruling was taken after the club were suspected of using a falsified bank document as a financial guarantee last year.
Xamax already faces an eight-point penalty imposed after it failed to pay its players’ wages and social insurance in September and October.
When Chagaev bought the club, he talked of Champions League football but instead sacked four coaches and the entire administrative staff.
Gagg, one of FIFA’s longest-serving and most respected figures, says Chagaev should never have been allowed to buy the club in the first place.
“We were interested in taking over a year ago but Bernasconi suddenly announced he was selling to Chagaev instead,” Gagg said in an interview with insideworldfootball.
“We hoped it would be the right decision but since then we have seen some crazy things from this man, not only in terms of financial dishonesty.
“For instance, he went into the dressing room at halftime in the Swiss cup final and threatened to kill all the players if they didn’t play better.”
Founded in 1970 by merging two separate clubs, Xamax won the league twice in the late 1980s.
Blatter was a director until he joined FIFA in 1975 and has retained close ties with them.
The club, given five days to appeal, are next scheduled to play on February 4 at home to Lausanne Sport when matches resume after the winter break.
Gagg does not think that will happen.
“They have the right to appeal but I think the situation is too bad,” he said.
One of FIFA’s most experienced operators, Gagg has held a variety of capacities since joining in 1982 including technical and competitions director and director for stadiums and security.
His consortium is due to meet on Wednesday amid plans to maintain the Xamax name and compete in Switzerland’s regional fourth tier next season.
“We hope to find a solution with a new team and new staff,” he said.
“We have investors in place to restart the club though obviously not with the same amount of money.
“There are so many things to handle – not least dealing with false player contracts and the club’s debts which are over 8 million Swiss francs (£5.5 million/$8.5 million/€6.6 million).”
The demise of Xamax drives straight at the heart of FIFA’s Swiss hierarchy.
Gagg played for the club two generations ago at a time when Blatter was a committee member.
Ironically, Xamax’s troubles could yet save another scandal-tainted Swiss club, FC Sion, from relegation after they were deducted 36 league points over the ineligible players affair.
Sion are appealing the sanction but if Xamax are demoted, no other top-flight team will be relegated.
“It is a very sad and bad situation,” said Gagg who revealed 80 per cent of the Xamax playing staff would probably have to leave.
He also issued a veiled attack on Bernasconi.
“We are living in a crazy world when people sometimes are just blind simply in order to accept money,” he said.
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