Stephan Reiter

“We have recognized the signs of the times”

Already looking forward to the new season: Salzburg's managing director Stephan Reiter

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Red Bull Salzburg's managing director Stephan Reiter in a big "Krone" interview: Whether a title-less season is scratching the self-image of the club and its employees, what mistakes he has made and whether the Bundesliga competition will now have to dress warmly.

"Krone": Salzburg failed to win a title for the first time since 2013. To what extent does this affect the self-image of the club and its employees?
Stephan Reiter: I don't think it affects our self-image, as the last few years have been very successful and sustainable. However, it has shaken us up at the club. The successes of the past were not a matter of course. It takes hard, disciplined and focused work every day. Believing in a common goal and subordinating everything to it is extremely important. This was made clear to many people, including me.

Does it take failure to appreciate success more?
I think it takes a certain kind of dissatisfaction to make progress possible. That prevails here, nobody is satisfied with the result. We need to turn that into positive energy.

Does Sturm deserve to be champions?
Everyone who becomes champion deserves it. We congratulated those responsible immediately after the game. I don't think we ultimately lost the title to Sturm, but to other clubs. I have great respect for Sturm for what they have built up and achieved in recent years.

When Gerhard Struber was made redundant, Salzburg were top of the table. In the end, they finished second. In retrospect, was the change of coach to Onur Cinel a mistake or was there no alternative?
There was no alternative for us at the time. I've already said it, Onur is a great character, he gave us a lot of support and did a great job. But he can't do magic. At the same time, you could see that he's already made his mark and we've also seen a development. The farewell against LASK, to perform like that against the third-placed team, was a clear signal for the future. You could see what individual quality we have. You can see what the boys are made of. Now we have to draw the right conclusions.

Stephan Reiter (left, with sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner) wants to bring the title back to Salzburg.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

How annoying is it not to get the necessary horsepower on the pitch with the best squad in Austria?
I wouldn't just relate that to the team. Every individual, starting with me, has to understand that the title of serial champion is a thing of the past. The most important thing is to work together as a club every day to win the title. We don't need to dream of a Champions League, Europa League or Club World Cup now. We have to work every day to become champions. The Bundesliga is what we have to do as best we can, everything else comes from that.

What mistakes did you make in the past season?
I've been here since the end of 2016 and only know us as champions. Success spoils you a little. I don't exclude myself from that; we perhaps need to work even more clearly when it comes to setting goals and always emphasize the key objectives together as a team. And not take the next step before the previous one has been taken.

What positive things do you take away from last season?
The positive thing is that we had a great squad and many great games and experiences. The Champions League duels with Benfica, Inter Milan and Real Sociedad were outstanding. In the Bundesliga, the matches with Sturm Graz and the end of the season against LASK will also be remembered, even if it was bitter in the end. However, you have to think longer about the highlights than in previous years.

Salzburg had an average attendance of 12,000, which is slightly below that of the previous season. How do you see the development?
I would consider the average to be stable. You shouldn't forget that we had a supplementary match against Wolfsberg in wintry temperatures with almost no fans, which had a significant impact on the average.

Many fans vented their displeasure - with whistles, but also by announcing that they were canceling their season ticket. How much does that affect the club?
We have a lot of passionate fans, and emotions are part of that. But we have a great stadium with great service, including sensational catering. But when we lose, the food feels a lot worse than when we win (laughs). It's clear to me that there's also a certain amount of frustration involved. But if you look at the facts, you have to say that we have a very good price-performance ratio compared to other clubs. Especially with the announcement of Pep Lijnders as coach, we have noticed that some people have withdrawn their cancelations. That has made a difference. We are simply very spoiled by success, which certainly also affects some of our fans. But right now we need to stick together, because support is important, especially when things aren't going so well. In general, the number of season tickets will remain stable, even if I don't have any final data yet.

How did the season go for Salzburg from an economic perspective?
The runner-up finish had no direct impact on the 2023/24 financial season. Our performance in recent years has generally been good. We have built up an excellent equity ratio, which means we have a certain cushion. We will continue to benefit from this next year. However, our goals will not change: We want to become champions and cup winners and also be represented internationally. When it comes to the Club World Cup, nobody knows exactly what that means financially at the moment. Figures are being circulated that have not yet been finalized.

As a club, you don't know any details?
No. There have been initial meetings, but no financial details. It's fair to say that the UEFA competitions have been around for a long time, so you know what to expect. The FIFA Club World Cup is being played for the first time and it's still a long time until 2025, not all the participants have even been confirmed yet.

By Salzburg standards, there was a lot of unrest last season. How important will it be to get back into calmer waters?
For everything that has happened, we have managed it professionally as a club. It's important for us to bring continuity and a clear line back in. The coach is a key position in this.

The many injuries were a constant side effect. To what extent has this already been dealt with?
It will never be completely dealt with, but it is an issue that we have to continue to work on. And it's not a phenomenon that only we have to deal with. Many clubs have to deal with it because there are a lot of influencing factors, such as the large number of games our boys play. However, we are well on the way to ensuring better player availability.

There was already some restructuring in this regard last year. Do we need to sharpen things up?
I think we are very well positioned in terms of medical matters and are constantly developing there. This set-up will enable us to provide our athletes with even better and more individualized training and control in the future.

Will the upheaval this summer be a bit bigger than in previous years?
We will endeavor to have players with us who are completely convinced that Salzburg is the right place for them, who are one hundred percent willing to perform and who want to win titles with us. If someone is not committed to this, we will have to take action. Everyone should be aware that it doesn't boost the transfer business if you don't become champions. One or two players need to focus on giving one hundred percent in order to take the next step. To do this, you have to subordinate everything to the here and now and work professionally.

We will endeavor to have players with us who are completely convinced that Salzburg is the right place for them, who are one hundred percent willing to perform and who want to win titles with us. If someone is not committed to this, we will have to take action.

Salzburg-Geschäftsführer Stephan REITER

The appointment of Pep Lijnders created an atmosphere of optimism in the club's surroundings. How important were your contacts with Liverpool?
We put in a lot of work together and held talks. Details will be given at the press conference at the start of training when we introduce Pep. I am convinced that he is the right signal for our players, the club and the fans. We are not revolutionizing, but it is an evolution. We have found an excellent solution with Pep and his team.

He was given a three-year contract. There seems to be a lot of confidence in his abilities. How much do you want him to fulfill his contract?
I'm convinced that Pep will come to us with a huge amount of passion and energy. The important thing is that he was convinced of our path from the very first moment. It would make our work a lot easier if he stayed longer (laughs).

Lijnders has brought an assistant coach with him, Vitor Matos. What will happen to Alexander Hauser and Florens Koch, who previously held this role?
We are currently in the middle of the planning process. It's still too early to make any final announcements. But it's also clear that there will be one or two changes at the club.

Salzburg is facing a historic season. As runners-up, they have to qualify, the break in the winter will be much shorter due to eight group matches in the Champions League and Europa League, and after the end of the season they will go to the Club World Cup in the United States. To what extent is planning the coming season the biggest task in years?
It's fair to say that we've been working in the background for weeks and the season ahead will be one of the most intense we've ever experienced. On the other hand, we are all dedicated to soccer. The best thing is games in the stadium, ideally combined with positive experiences. That's why everyone is looking forward to this incredibly big challenge. We have to spread it over several shoulders in the best possible way so that we all get through the season well. Personally, I'm really looking forward to it, I'm already on fire and I'm in the mood for a new beginning.

Does the league have to keep in mind that Salzburg will strike back mercilessly after a title-less season?
There's certainly no need to make big statements to other clubs. But everyone can be sure that we have recognized the signs of the times and are preparing for the coming challenges in the best possible way.