Spittal sounds the alarm

“We have no structures and no support”

(Bild: H.Sobe)

Carinthians Spittal start the spring without their top goalscorer, who moved to GAK. Now coach Alex Pichelkastner is sounding the alarm and calling for better structures and better support for young talent in Carinthian women's soccer. . .

Annoying! Carinthians Spittal go into the spring without top scorer Vanessa Kraker (six goals), who moved to GAK in the winter. "It's half an hour less travel time for her. But we simply can't keep up financially. Every club that has a strong men's team has more money than we do," says coach Alex Pichelkastner, who also sees some shortcomings in women's soccer in Carinthia. "We have no structures, no promotion of young talent. There used to be Sturm and St. Pölten. But now almost every province has its own academy. Everyone is leaving."

Vanessa Kraker (right) moved to the GAK.

(Bild: Sobe)

Academy-like youth academy
There is a fitting example of this. 15-year-old Angelina Klaudrat moved from Rothenthurn to Spittal in the winter. But only until the summer, as she will then move on to the St. Pölten academy. "We urgently need at least one academy-like youth academy in Carinthia. Also a boarding school with supervision where the girls can concentrate on soccer," says Pichelkastner.

Otherwise, he also sees black for his club. "We won't be able to stay in the league in the long term. And with the current structures, no other Carinthian club will be able to move up either," says Pichelkastner. Winter preparations went well for the Spittal team. They were able to draw 1:1 against first division team Wacker Innsbruck. The first competitive match of the spring in the 2nd Women's Bundesliga was lost 2-0 away at Südburgenland.