Alex Frei takes charge at FC Winterthur: «We want to stay up front»

FC Winterthur has appointed Alex Frei as their new manager, tasking the national team’s all-time top scorer with reviving the ambitious side’s push for promotion. The 42-year-old, who took over from Ralf Loose in December, has made it clear he won’t throw around the word «promotion»-but his ambitions are clear.

As it stands, FC Winterthur sit 7th in the Challenge League with zero points after their 1:1 draw against Union Berlin on 17 July 2026. Their last four matches have all ended in draws (0-4-0), leaving them unbeaten in that stretch. They face Yverdon Sport at home on Thursday (24 July 2026) in their next outing.

Why Frei chose FC Winterthur

Frei cited the club’s blend of humility and drive as his main draw: «I think FC Winterthur has great people and is a cool, down-to-earth club. But it’s also ambitious with a big fan base. There’s a real hunger for more-that’s what tempted me.»

The former striker had started the season at fellow league side FC Wil before parting ways in November by mutual consent. He was also linked with the FC Luzern job to replace Fabio Celestini before signing with Winterthur until summer 2023. Now, he’s the man in charge with a clear vision.

Frei’s style: Possession and purpose

Frei isn’t shy about his preference for high possession football: «We want an aesthetic style. Lucky goals happen, sure, but the goals we score need to come from clear ideas.» He stresses daily improvement for both the team and individuals-and the coaching staff will «give everything every day to get better.»

His approach is built on structure, not empty promises. «You won’t hear me say that word», Frei said when asked about promotion, «first, we’ll try to stay up front as long as possible; second, we’ll start strongly. After the halfway point of the second half, we’ll assess where we stand-and then maybe we can talk dreams or other goals.»

The challenge: From slump to title push?

Just months ago, FC Winterthur dominated the Challenge League and led comfortably. Then came a dramatic collapse: in their last seven games, they won just once and slid down the table. With zero goals scored and zero points after seven matches, they’re now 7th-but Frei sees potential.

«We’ll analyze after the halfway point of the second half», he said. «Then maybe we can start talking about dreams or other targets.» Fans will be watching closely to see if Winterthur can climb back up-or at least steer clear of the drop under Frei’s guidance. Their next test comes against Yverdon Sport on 24 July 2026.