Red Bull Salzburg

The champions must show that they can also handle a crisis

Managing director Stephan Reiter (left) and sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner with the championship plate - will it go to Salzburg?

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

The 1:3 defeat in Linz was a new low point in the season for FC Red Bull Salzburg. Coach Gerhard Struber in particular is at the center of criticism. Bosses Stephan Reiter and Bernhard Seonbuchner have two options.

Things are currently going from bad to worse for Salzburg. The European Cup exit in December was followed by the Cup defeat against Sturm Graz. Striker hope Fernando is out until the end of the season. And now the anemic performance of head coach Gerhard Struber's team in the 3:1 defeat at LASK.

While other clubs would speak of luxury problems, the crisis at the Bulls can no longer be denied. The anemic performance of the defending champions in Linz represented a new low point in this season.

Positive: As bad as the Bulls' crisis may be - regardless of the outcome of the Styrian derby between Hartberg and Sturm Graz, the defending Bundesliga champions will still top the table tonight.

Negative: In terms of play, the performance at LASK was a revelation for long stretches! Rarely before have we seen a Salzburg team so lacking in passion and drive on the pitch as on Friday evening in the Raiffeisen Arena. Misplaced passes en masse, stopping mistakes that made you shudder - it was unworthy of the Bulls!

In this difficult phase, those responsible around managing director Stephan Reiter and sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner, who were unwilling to comment yesterday, must prove that they can also handle a crisis. While the players were granted two days off today and tomorrow, the management team is busy analyzing and discussing. What should happen now? Why did they get into this situation in just a few days? And above all: what needs to be done to celebrate the eleventh league title in a row? The Bulls have two options - one with and one without head coach Gerhard Struber.

Salzburg coach Gerhard Struber is at the center of criticism.

(Bild: Christian Hofer - FC Red Bull Sa)

WITH STRUBER

"I sense a great atmosphere within the team, generally in the whole club. (...) A lot is going in the right direction. This is exactly what we expected," Reiter summarized Struber's first weeks as head coach in an interview with "Krone" in the late summer of 2023. The 52-year-old club boss was confident that he could guide the Bulls back into calmer waters after the chaos surrounding the departure of former Salzburg coach Jaissle.

Now, too, it is important to keep calm and make decisions with a cool head. In the "Jaissle case", he did just that. Consistently - and always in the interests of the club. If he and Seonbuchner, who is also very good with Struber in his private life, are convinced that the Kuchler can turn the tide, still reach the team and lead the Bulls squad in the future, then the 47-year-old must stay. Then the general mood, which is clearly against the head coach, must not play a role.

WITHOUT STRUBER

There are a few things that speak against the coach. There is the uninspiring style of play, which disappoints the fans. When he was appointed, Struber's aim was to return to the offensive spectacle of the past under Roger Schmidt or Jesse Marsch. We are a long way from that. The fact that the 47-year-old was able to complete a full preparation with the team in the winter did nothing to change this.

Generally speaking, convincing performances were in short supply. Most of these took place in the top flight. Even after eight months in office, many fans still do not want to have recognized a real signature. Added to this are the missed goals for the season (international winter, Cup win).

The decisive factor, however, is whether the Bulls bosses Reiter and Seonbuchner, despite leading the table, now also see the winning of the championship trophy at risk. If they no longer trust Struber to reverse the trend and win the eleventh Bundesliga title in a row, then there is an acute need for action in the Salzburg coaching position.