WAC on the search for a striker

Klagenfurt sporting director: “Can’t buy a lock!”

Partner Zeljko Karajica (right) discusses with Austria sports boss Günther Gorenzel in Wolfsberg.

(Bild: Kuess Josef/Kuess)

Austria Klagenfurt are licking their wounds after the clear 1:4 defeat in the derby. Coach Pacult admits: "I always blame myself".Sporting director Gorenzel explains the financial situation. The WAC celebrated their highest opening win in ten years - and the "Krone" has an update on the search for a striker.

Austria Klagenfurt are still smarting from the heaviest opening defeat since their promotion to the Bundesliga. Coach Peter Pacult also surprised everyone with his line-up in the 4-1 defeat in Wolfsberg:

• In preparation, he always played a 3-4-1-2 system, this time Pacult opted for just one up front with the (out-of-form) Binder.

Peter Pacult

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

• The best bomber of the preparation, David Toshevski, only came off the bench. The reason? "He still has a lot to learn. He scored a lot of goals against lower-class clubs, but against good opponents you could see where the problems are - you have to be careful not to praise him so highly. He's still young," says Pacult.

• The use of goalkeeper Knaller was also surprising - but after his mistakes, everything now points to a switch to new signing Spari. And Pacult admitted: "As a coach, you always blame yourself when the result doesn't go your way!" But we also know that the coach fox has often been right with his decisions. .

In any case, the calls for reinforcements are getting louder. Klagenfurt's head of sport Günther Gorenzel explains: "You have to be guided by the economic possibilities. In the first few years after the takeover, the club spent more than it took in. And this year, the maxim is that we can only spend as much as we earn. We have to act accordingly - after all, I can't buy a castle on Lake Wörthersee if I don't have the money. . ."

Günther Gorenzel

(Bild: f. pessentheiner)

The new course set by shareholder Zeljko Karajica will therefore be implemented. "There is no alternative. However, everyone was aware that it would be difficult after the upheaval - but we certainly won't question everything after just one match!", says Gorenzel and also emphasizes: "The games against Rapid and Sturm are now bonus games. The decisive match will be against WSG Tirol."

Ballo ran into the ears of Austria Klagenfurt

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Wolfsberg scored four goals (albeit partly with the kind help of Marco Knaller, who was unable to get past Dobnik in his first league year under Bjelica at WAC) - and with four different goalscorers. Do they even need a new striker? The unanimous answer from everyone involved with the "Wolves": Yes, absolutely! And we're not talking about a squad addition - but a real firecracker! "The transfer window runs until September 5 - towards the end, big clubs will certainly have strikers available who are not necessarily their first choice and are looking for match practice. It would be wrong to put pressure on them now, because otherwise the door will close immediately," emphasizes vice-president Christian Puff.

By the way: The quietest cheers about the 4:1 came from veteran Hannes Jochum, who was starting his 19th (!) WAC season. He had lost his father the day before the derby.