13 new players in Hartberg:

Mega-competitive pressure gives hope for the transition

Hartberg's new squad! Mu Canazlar, Elias Havel, Sandro Schendl, Marco Hoffmann, Sky Schwarz, Markus Schopp, Benjamin Markus, Justin Omoregie, Michael Hutter, Nelson Amadin , Jonas Karner, Youba Diarra, Charlie Osborne (from left)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Markus Schopp presented his new players to the "Krone" in Hartberg. 13 men are dreaming of a Max Entrup-style development. AEK Athens have cast their fishing rod for director Avdijaj.

What a squad shake-up! With Entrup, Diakite, Sangare, Frieser and Bowat, five regulars are gone, and Ehmann, Rotter, Knoflach, Gollner, Kröpfl, Steinwender and Schutti have also left Hartberg. With 13 additions, Markus Schopp is facing a huge rebuild - but the coach wasn't complaining at the "Krone" site inspection: "Many youngsters have seen where people like Max Entrup have come via Hartberg. They want that too. And some will develop in a similar way!"

The bloodletting: "After such a successful season, it's normal for a platform club like Hartberg to lose players. Without Entrup, Sangare, Diakite and Bowat, of course some things change, but I'm proud of this development and at least we've earned money. It wasn't always like this."

Diarra, Markus, Amadin & Co. (from right) sweating in Hartberg at 31 degrees.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

An army of hungry successors is set to heat up the competition: In addition to U21 team goalie Elias Scherf (back from Amstetten), the defense has been strengthened with two men from Slovenia: "Mateo Karamatic has established himself at Olimpja Ljubljana. Benjamin Markus, an exciting six-man, has also been given a lot of responsibility in Domzale despite his youth." Markus will compete with Kainz and Halwachs - and with Youba Diarra from Cadiz, who replaces Diakite in his third Hartberg start: "Youba knows our club and once he has found his rhythm, he will give us a lot."

Salzburg loanee Justin Omoregie brings youthful energy to the midfield, as do Jonas Karner (Sturm II) and Muhammed Canazlar (Aka Vorarlberg).

Markus Schopp has a lot of explaining to do when rebuilding

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Max Entrup's16 goals this season will be shouldered by others in future: "The Dutchman Nelson Amadin from Schalke II is a fast man with depth. He will take the next step and, like Elias Havel from LASK, he has skills that we haven't had before. Sky Schwarz from Rapid is a versatile player who has developed well in Klagenfurt. And Marco Hoffmann, who scored 18 goals in Halbturn in the Burgenlandliga, has potential."

Further additions: "It is inevitable that we will bring in a central defender." Even though Ibane Bowat has signaled that he could imagine a return to Hartberg if he doesn't make the leap at Fulham, everything will be a question of time - as with Felix Luckeneder from LASK. "We're not going to make a snap decision", says Schopp, "I have to be convinced of all additions."

Markus Schopp (r.) has to worry, because AEK Athens are interested in Donis Avdijaj (l.)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Impending departures: AEK Athens are interested in Donis Avdijaj! "A great club," says Donis, "but I haven't looked into it any further. A lot would have to be right for me to leave Hartberg." Schopp thinks so too, saying: "Of course, it can never be ruled out that there could be offers for people like Avdjaj, Prokop or Providence, who performed strongly last season. I'd be proud if big clubs came knocking and I'm the last person to block anyone. But these players have contracts - and a move would have to work out for all of them."

Hartberg's additions

Elias Scherf (Amstetten), Mateo Karamatic (O. Ljubljana), Benjamin Markus (Domzale), Justin Omoregie (Salzburg), Youba Diarra (Cadiz), Michael Hutter (Hartberg II), Muhammed Canazlar (Aka Vorarlberg), Sandro Schendl (Ried), Jonas Karner (Sturm II), Aaron Sky Schwarz (Rapid), Nelson Amadin (Schalke), Elias Havel (LASK), Marco Hoffmann (Halbturn), Charlie Osborne (Bournemouth U 18/not yet signed).

Goals for the season: "I don't know if it will work as quickly with all the new players as it did last year, but that's the path TSV Hartberg has to take. We will have to be patient. And we will work hard, because we have to improve defensively and also make better use of our chances in the box. The league is even tighter this year - and there's no more Lustenau"