Rapid coach Klauß:

“That immediately blew up in our faces”

Coach Robert Klauß in action.

(Bild: GEPA, sk Rapid)

Rapid ended the training camp with a 3:2 in the test against Debreceni Coach Robert Klauß spoke to the "Krone" about goals, the system and many alternatives.

"Krone": Mr. Klauß, Rapid's training camp ended with a 3:2 over 105 minutes against Debreceni and the first Beljo goal - is everything going according to plan in the preparation?

Robert Klauß: Yes, absolutely. Even if the goals conceded annoy me. But the processes have gone well. It feels good. You could tell that we trained very intensively.

(Bild: Screenshot Rapid TV)

With David Lechner as the old, new athletics coach - did he come in because of the many injuries in April?

No, that had nothing to do with it, we were all on board with him, especially me as head coach. We didn't change much either. David fits in with us and complements our team. We rather asked ourselves the question: Which players do we need, who can handle the intensity and the workload?

Did the head of sport fulfill all the coach's wishes?

(laughs): Guardiola or Ancelotti can make wishes. We have implemented a lot of what I had in mind.

When will the eight new players be integrated - or will you have to be patient again?

You hope that players will work immediately. We have also chosen our test opponents in such a way that we are really challenged right away. We have to be at our best in the first competitive game.

Head of sport Markus Katzer and coach Robert Klauß with Dino Beljo

(Bild: Daniel Widner | SK Rapid Wien)

With Dion Beljo, a real nine-man has been signed - will Rapid play with two strikers from now on?

That's the idea, at least that's how we'll start the season. We want to and will increase our goal threat.

So Burgstaller and Beljo up front, like in the test?

We're flexible there, we have different pairs.

That also applies to the midfield. Schaub, Lang, Jansson, Seidl - there are many alternatives in attack in the 4-2-2-2 system.

That's right, that was our plan. We have many different types of players and can vary. Both in the center, but also across the sides.

Everyone in Hütteldorf remembers Schaub's gala against Ajax, the young Louis - what role will the returnee now play at Rapid?

I only knew him from Germany. He's a fine person, matured as a player, always very hard-working, never too good for a path. As I said, we are now very flexible.

(Bild: sk rapid)

Last season, Rapid's first goal for the season was to reach the top 6 - what is the target now?

We now want to reach a European group stage. It doesn't make sense to set another target at the moment. Many factors play a role here. In Nuremberg, we finished eighth in one season and the following year the club, not me, set the target of achieving a better position. The media turned it into promotion. That immediately blew up in our faces after the first defeat.

Do you pay attention to the league competition? Sturm and LASK are upgrading.

That has zero influence on us, they have also been courting other players than us. We're looking at ourselves, only focusing on our next opponents. So AC Milan and of course Wisla Krakow and KF Lapi.

You were at two of Austria's matches at the European Championships - your conclusion after the round of 16 exit?

It's a shame, it all seemed too good: everyone - not internally, but externally - was talking about the easy path, Calhanoglu's suspension. But it wasn't a "gmahde Wiesn" as you say in Vienna. I feared it would be. The break before the round of 16 was too long, then you get out of the tournament rhythm.

Who will win the title?

(laughs): England are in the final, so money does score goals. They're so good individually. But I'm betting and hoping for Spain, they play the best soccer. I'm also friends with Dani Olmo.

SK Rapid - Debreceni VSC 3:2 (1:2)

Goal sequence: 1:0 (7.) Beljo, 1:1 (20.) Romanchuk, 1:1 (60 + 3) Dsudzsak, 2:2 (70.) Biescho, 3:2 (102.) Dursun. - Rapid played over 60 minutes in the 1st half (4-2-2-2): Gartler; Oswald, Hofmann, Raux-Yao, Auer; Sangare, Grgic; Schaub, Jansson; Burgstaller, Beljo - 2nd half over 45 minutes (4-2-2-2): Gartler (77. Haas); Vincze, Gröller; Tambwe-Kasengele, Demir; Sattlberger, Kaygin; Zivkovic, Lang; Bischof, Dursun.