Before the KFV election

Mutz or Mertel – who has the better arguments?

(Bild: zVg, Gepa, Kuess)

Interim president Martin Mutz (50) against Manfred Mertel (69): The battle for the throne in the Carinthian Football Association is hot. The two lawyers talk about construction sites, academies and reforms ahead of the election. .

Who will be the new strongman of the KFV for the next four years? The election will take place on Friday at Lakeside Park in Klagenfurt. Interim boss Mutz and opposing candidate Mertel answered the "Krone" questions.

Why are you running in the presidential election?

Martin Mutz: Because I want to continue and further develop the successful path for Carinthian and East Tyrolean soccer that Klaus Mitterdorfer has taken in recent years with the involvement of and consideration for all clubs, together with my great and serious team.

Interim President Martin Mutz (right).

(Bild: Kuess)

Manfred Mertel: " The financial situation for the clubs is becoming increasingly difficult because the financial burdens in the municipalities are getting higher and higher. The sports ground is still the communication center of every community - we are already suffering from the loss of pubs and petrol stations. So I want to be the one to point out how important sport is for society.

Manfred Mertel (left) is the opposing candidate.

(Bild: Kuess)

What are the current construction sites in Carinthian soccer?

Mutz: I wouldn't call them construction sites. There are challenges in the youth sector, refereeing and in supporting volunteer officials, but these are not specific to Carinthia. It is important to continue the initiatives with honest work and with the clubs.

Mertel: In terms of performance, we are lagging behind compared to the rest of Austria. It's no different in women's soccer either - the best players are moving away, so Spittal and SportBorg need to be strengthened. And when I was active, we had four Bundesliga referees - today there are zero. These are points where we need to make a difference!

Profile of Martin Mutz

Born: August 17, 1973 in Graz.

Family: Wife Iris, three children (16, 13 & 11 years).

Clubs as goalkeeper: ASV, BNZ Austria Klagenfurt U21.

Professional background: After studying law (in Vienna and London), worked as a lawyer. Founding partner of the commercial law firm "Wiedenbauer Mutz Winkler & Partner" located in Klagenfurt and Vienna. Member of the KFV Board since 2016, Vice President since 2020, Interim President since 2023.

Hobbies: ice hockey , tennis ("despite an artificial knee joint")

Motto: "There is no problem that cannot be solved."

We have two Bundesliga clubs in Austria Klagenfurt and WAC. Behind them, however, there is a low tide: no second division club, only two regional league clubs and few league clubs willing to move up. How can the problem be solved?

Mutz: The bright spot here is the good work of the academies, where it will be important to provide the Carinthian and East Tyrolean clubs with the increased number of well-trained AKA players at affordable conditions. As the KFV, we have led the way here by waiving the LAZ training allowance. By further improving the image of soccer in Carinthia, we must also succeed in finding strong sponsors.

Mertel: " The two Bundesliga clubs cover everything with their great work. If they break away, things will look bleak. The problem starts with young players because there is too little return flow from the academies. This means that if AKA players don't make the big leap, they have to at least strengthen our regional leagues - which has hardly been the case so far.

The two Bundesliga clubs cover everything with their great work. If they break away, things will look bleak. The problem starts with the young players because there is too little return flow from the academies.

Manfred Mertel

 Would new league divisions improve the quality of Carinthian soccer?

Mertel: You always have to think about reforms from the regional league to the 2nd division. We are in a climate and inflation crisis. Without losing sight of performance, we have to reduce travel costs. But I always want to get the clubs on board.

Mutz: This topic is evaluated by the KFV almost every six months. The clubs have not yet formed a clear opinion. We have received a concrete proposal from a club in Central Carinthia, which we will discuss with the clubs after the election.

Profile of Manfred Mertel

Born: August 25, 1954 in Klagenfurt.

Family: Wife Ulrike, sons Maximilian and Martin.

Clubs as a player: GAK, VOEST Linz, Austria Salzburg.

As a coach: Spittal, Feldkirchen, FC Kärnten, AKA FC Kärnten, ASK.

Professional career: Studied law, worked in the municipal department of the provincial government, then city councillor in Klagenfurt, local councillor, still a member of the Federal Council today. Chairman of the KFV coaching academy, vice president of FC KAC, chairman of the pensioners' association.

Hobbies: music, political literature.

Motto: "With each other instead of against each other - for each other instead of next to each other."

Are two academies in Carinthia too many?

Mertel: I'm ambivalent about that. If Vienna, with just under two million inhabitants, has two academies, you would think that the competition in Carinthia is not conducive to performance. On the positive side, you can bring more talented players into training. But then the flow of players back into the regional league and Carinthian league has to be right. On the other hand, burdening the taxpayer for third or fourth division players is also not justifiable.

Mutz: It is in the interest of Carinthian and East Tyrolean soccer to train as many young players as possible. The KFV is grateful to both academy providers for their commitment.

(Bild: PhotoCredit: Sobe Hermann)

Provincial sports director Arthofer wants a KFV academy from 2025/26. Your opinion? 

Mertel: That can only be an emergency solution. Because every player wants to identify with an AKA. It's much more motivating to play for AKA WAC or AKA Austria Klagenfurt than for a KFV academy.

Mutz: Such a project is only possible with the agreement of the academy sponsors and the state due to the licensing regulations. Once the financial and sporting conditions have been clarified, the KFV is open to the idea.

Once the financial and sporting conditions have been clarified, the association is open to the idea of a KFV academy.

Martin Mutz

Mr. Mertel, you dance at many church festivals: Federal Councillor, substitute municipal councillor, chairman of the Klagenfurt Pensioners' Association, vice president of FC KAC. How is the KFV president supposed to balance all that?

Mertel: I would then invest even more of my free time in soccer. And I'm no longer working in my main job. Back then, nobody asked me how I could reconcile being a professional footballer and studying law. Or when I was working in the local authority on a voluntary basis as chairman and managing director of Austria Klagenfurt. . . in short: it all works out!

And Mr. Mutz, you had to end your career as a goalkeeper at the age of 21, never worked in a club function after that and have been a member of the KFV since 2016 - isn't there a bit of experience missing?

Mutz: I've been with the KFV for eight years, have been on the ÖFB presidium for almost a year in leading official positions, run an international law firm and have been advising companies for more than 20 years. I believe that I have the wealth of experience required for the honorary role of KFV President.

One last thing: What do you like about your counterpart?

Mutz: That Manfred is still so active at this age.

Mertel: Martin is a calm guy, a good lawyer.