Bernard Challandes (born 26 July 1951) is a Swiss professional football coach and former player who last managed Kosovo.

Bernard Challandes
Challandes with Armenia in May 2014
Personal information
Date of birth (1951-07-26) 26 July 1951 (age 73)
Place of birth Le Locle, Switzerland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
0000–1968 Le Locle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1970 Le Locle
1970–1972 Urania Genève Sport
1972–1978 Le Locle
1976–1977 → Superga (loan)
1977–1978 → Boudry (loan)
1978–1982 Saint-Imier
Managerial career
1978–1982 Saint-Imier
1982–1985 Le Locle
1985–1987 La Chaux-de-Fonds
1987–1994 Yverdon Sports
1994–1995 Young Boys
1995 Servette
1996–2000 Switzerland U17
2000–2001 Switzerland U18
2001–2007 Switzerland U21
2007–2010 Zürich
2010–2011 Sion
2011 Neuchâtel Xamax
2011–2012 Thun
2013 Young Boys
2014–2015 Armenia
2015–2017 Basel (scout)
2018–2021 Kosovo
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Coaching career

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Clubs

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Challandes with Zürich in December 2007

Challandes became coach of Saint-Imier in 1978. Subsequently, he has been the coach of many other teams in the Swiss championship as Le Locle, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Yverdon Sports, Young Boys, Servette, Zürich, Sion,[1] Neuchâtel Xamax and Thun. Challandes was most successful during the time he was coach of Zürich, when it became champions of the 2008–09 season, and with Sion when they won the Swiss Cup in the 2010–11 season. Since 2015, he has been the scout with Basel.[2][3]

National teams

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Armenia

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On 28 February 2014, the Armenia national football team appointed Challandes as their manager with a two-year contract to lead the team during UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying after the former coach Vardan Minasyan decided in October 2013 not to sign a new deal with the Football Federation of Armenia, despite having an encouraging UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns.[4] In May 2014. Challandes made his first squad announcement with Armenia for the friendly matches against United Arab Emirates and Algeria. He brought four new players into the squad: Aleksandr Tumasyan, Alex, Mauro Guevgeozián and Rumyan Hovsepyan. On 27 May 2014, Challandes had his first official match as Armenia manager in a 4–3 home win against United Arab Emirates. On 30 March 2015, Challandes resigned after Armenia failed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2016.[5]

Kosovo

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On 2 March 2018, Kosovo appointed Challandes to a two-year contract after the former coach Albert Bunjaki decided to resign, after weak results, in October 2017.[6] On 19 March 2018, Challandes made his first Kosovo squad announcement for the friendly matches against Madagascar and Burkina Faso, bringing in three new players: Edon Zhegrova, Gjelbrim Taipi and Idriz Voca.[7] On 24 March 2018, Challandes had his first match as Kosovo manager in a 1–0 home win against Madagascar.[8]

Under him, Kosovo won all three of friendly matches. In September 2018, the UEFA Nations League began. In the 3rd group of league D, Kosovo was in the group with Azerbaijan, Malta and Faroe Islands. Kosovo finished first in the group, giving it a chance to qualify for UEFA Euro 2020, through the knockout phase, in March 2020.

Honours

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Manager

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Zurich

Sion

Managerial record

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As of match played 12 October 2021[9][10]
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Switzerland U21 1 July 2001 12 June 2007 63 27 14 22 042.86
Zürich 13 June 2007 19 April 2010 138 65 31 42 047.10
Sion 1 July 2010 22 February 2011 24 11 6 7 045.83
Neuchâtel Xamax 13 May 2011 30 May 2011 4 0 2 2 000.00
Thun 1 July 2011 20 November 2012 59 18 15 26 030.51
Young Boys 8 April 2013 30 June 2013 10 3 2 5 030.00
Armenia 28 February 2014 30 March 2015 9 1 1 7 011.11
Kosovo 2 March 2018 13 October 2021 40 18 8 14 045.00
Total 347 144 79 124 041.50

References

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  1. ^ "Bernard Challandes wird Trainer im FC Sion" (in German). Basler Zeitung. 25 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Bernard Challandes: Der frühere FCZ-Meistertrainer ist jetzt FCB-Scout" (in German). Aargauer Zeitung. 9 July 2015. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Ja biografia e përzgjedhësit të Kosovës" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Swiss coach Bernard Challandes to head the Armenian national team". Public Radio of Armenia. 28 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Armenia head coach Bernard Challandes resigns". Public Radio of Armenia. 30 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Bernard Challendes, prezantohet përzgjedhës i ri i Kosovës" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Lista e futbollistëve të ftuar nga Bernard Challandes për miqësoret e marsit" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 19 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Challandes e nis me fitore, Zhegrova debuton me gol" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 24 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Bernard Challandes". Soccerway.
  10. ^ "Bernard Challandes". EU-football.info.
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