The Swiss Football Association says French club Bordeaux is trying to poach its coach, Vladimir Petkovic, the most successful national manager in Swiss history. 

Petkovic is credited for getting Switzerland to the quarterfinals of the European Championship earlier this month, eliminating defending champions France. 

“On Sunday afternoon the sports director of Girondins Bordeaux contacted our national team director Pierluigi Tami and expressed his interest in our national manager,” the association said in a statement on Monday. 

“Discussions are currently ongoing between the parties involved. The fact is Vladimir Petkovic has an ongoing contract that will automatically be extended to the end of 2022 if he qualifies for the World Cup. The Swiss Football Association is currently not issuing any further statements.” 

Petkovic had asked to be released from his contract, according to a close contact quoted in the newspaper Blick. 

French sports newspaper L’Equipe reported that Petkovic would succeed Jean-Louis Gasset at Girondins Bordeaux. 

Sarajevo-born Petkovic became the Swiss manager after the 2014 World Cup, succeeding Ottmar Hitzfeld. He led the team to the last 16 at the 2018 World Cup and to the last eight of the European Championship this month, where they lost to Spain on penalties – the first time Switzerland had got so far since 1954. 

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