Marco Walker

Marco Walker (born 2 May 1970 in Solothurn) is a Swiss former international footballer who played as a defender during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He was the manager of FC Naters from 2019 to 2021 and is now head-coach for FC Sion.

Club Career

Walker started his youth football with local club FC Bellach. From 1983 with he was with FC Solothurn, FC Grenchen, again Solothurn and Bettlach, before signing his first professional contract in 1988 with FC Grenchen in the second tier of Swiss football. He played for Grenchen for two seasons before moving on again. During the pre-season to the 1990–91 Nationalliga A Walker signed for FC Lugano one division higher. Walker also played two seasons for Lugano.

Walker joined FC Basel's first team for their 1992–93 season under head-coach Friedel Rausch. After playing in four test games Walker played his domestic league debut for his new club in the opening match of the season, an away game on 18 July 1992 as Basel were defeated 0–1 by Grenchen. Due to injuries Walker only played 16 domestic league games in that season.

The following season Walker was a regular in the starting eleven. He scored his first goal for his club on 28 August 1993 in the home game in the St. Jakob Stadium as Basel won 2–0 against CS Chenois. During Basel's 1993–94 season his team mates were the likes of Swiss international goalkeeper Stefan Huber, defenders Massimo Ceccaroni, Reto Baumgartner and Samir Tabakovic, the midfielders Mario Cantaluppi, Martin Jeitziner, Admir Smajic and Orjan Berg and the Swiss international striker Dario Zuffi. Together they won the Promotion/Relegation group and as Nationalliga B champions thus won promotion to the top flight of Swiss football, after six seasons in the second tier.

Walker stayed with the club another two seasons after their promotion. Between the years 1992 and 1996 Walker played a total of 170 games for Basel scoring a total of 15 goals. 110 of these games were in the Nationalliga A, 10 in the Swiss Cup, three in the UE