The savior?

Austria is now relying on HIM and “Now-First-Right”

Christian Wegleitner

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA piures)

Christian Wegleitner is supposed to save Austria's season after Michael Wimmer's departure! The former assistant coach of the German, who was suspended on Monday, is to give the struggling Viennese team a new impetus ahead of the upcoming European Cup play-off. "We want to bring out the 'now-first-right' mentality," said the 45-year-old on Tuesday, reporting new energy in the team. "The team has really set its sights high." 

His former boss Wimmer was no longer able to turn things around. The qualifying group was a disaster for Austria, and ahead of the final game on Saturday at Blau-Weiß Linz, the Violets are the worst team in the qualifying group in terms of points. Good phases were followed by inexplicable mistakes. Wimmer seemed at a loss recently - and had to leave together with assistant coach Ahmet Koc one year before the end of his contract.

Sports director Jürgen Werner

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Sporting director Jürgen Werner said it was not an easy decision. Nevertheless, the famous "new impetus" was given. "We hope that we can turn our luck around a bit," he said. The situation had recently become "entrenched". In any case, the season is not over for Austria on Saturday. Next Tuesday, they will continue against WAC in the semi-finals of the European Cup play-offs, with the promoted team - the home leg of the knockout tie will be decided first - still facing the fifth-placed team in the Champions Group in a first and second leg.

Turning the "small wheels"
Wegleitner now wants to turn the "small wheels" in an acute measure. Major measures are not to be expected due to the time pressure. These will be the Burgenland native's first appearances in the Bundesliga. Wegleitner was coach of SV Stripfing until the winter break (18 games), having only taken over the second division club in the summer of last year. Before that, he was assistant coach of the Young Violets under Harald Suchard for several years.

Many discussions are now the order of the day at Austria. "I'm a good listener, and that's part of the job at the moment," said Wegleitner. Within the team, they had "started today to prepare for the next few days". Wimmer had raised the question of character after the 4-0 defeat against Wolfsberg. His successor explained: "The players have character, it's a really cool squad."

Crack by missing out on the championship group
Werner emphasized that Austria had finished the second half of the season as the second-best team in the basic round. The crunch came when they missed out on the championship group. There, the Violets struggled with their performances almost all the time, their heads were often down. There was too little evidence of a rebellion. Irrespective of the Violets' sporting misery, the problems also seem to lie in other areas.

Michael Wimmer, Manuel Ortlechner

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The post of sporting director Manuel Ortlechner is also said to be in doubt. For Werner, this is "not an issue at the moment". However, nothing has been decided beyond the summer. Ortlechner's contract runs until June 2025 and Werner does not want to question the sporting performance until after the end of the season, including himself.

Wegleitner will now be at the helm for the next four games at best. There is no official plan for after that. "We haven't contacted anyone yet," Werner said about the search for a coach. It is important that the future coach speaks German. "We also have coaching talent in our own ranks," he said. The focus is on the game against the WAC. "With the hope that we'll have two more after that."