Next to Wimmer

Austria: The sporting director is also on the brink

Austria sporting director Manuel Ortlechner

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The "sabre-rattling" at Austria - will coach Michael Wimmer be joined by sporting director Manuel Ortlechner?

Ortlechner is not without controversy, last Saturday the VIP club made the joke that Ortlechner's highly praised "playbook" will soon be available to buy as a comic book.

Not surprising given the fact that the team's playing development is zero, there is no recognizable profile and no "Austria DNA".

These are all factors that do not speak in favor of Ortlechner remaining at the Verteilerkreis; after three years, the long-time captain and member of the 2013 championship-winning team will retire at the end of the season at the latest.

Austria sporting director Jürgen Werner

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"Nobody is infallible"
What does not apply to Jürgen Werner is that he does not want to throw in the towel either as an investor or as sports director: "I have no interest in selling to a Saudi Arabian investor, I want to be successful with Austria," he says on the subject of investment. And the sporting director Werner? "Of course I also question myself from time to time, of course I've also made mistakes in the two and a half years, nobody is infallible," he admits. But: "I've tried to work at Austria for two and a half years with full enthusiasm, commitment and a lot of passion, I identify fully with the cause - and that will also be successful." Now he has to look for a new coach ...