Dirnberger back

“It was the right time for a new challenge”

Sebastian Dirnberger (right) wants to keep the defense together in Bregenz.(Bild: GEPA)

Friday is the day: Backline defender Sebastian Dirnberger returns to his former club Amstetten with Bregenz in League Two. "I have very good friends here, but there are none in the 90 minutes," said the central defender, who spent five years at SKU before moving to the Ländle.

"I'll have to concentrate so that I don't go into the Amstetten dressing room," laughs Sebastian Dirnberger - the defensive back who returns to the Mostviertel with Bregenz on Friday (18) after five SKU seasons in the 2nd division. "It wasn't easy to leave, I have very good friends here," he says, referring to captain Lukas Deinhofer, for example. "But I wanted a new challenge. And Bregenz made a great effort. The overall package fits - it was the right time." In addition to Dirnberger, who comes from Weyer, striker Monsberger also joined Schwarz-Weiß. "Marcel wrote to me on vacation that I'd be laughing at the start of training because he was coming too. We get on well and have quickly settled into the team."

Last season in Amstetten kit against the eventual champions GAK and former colleague Maderner.(Bild: GEPA)

Did Amstetten's past "horror season" and last place play a part? "No. We were beaten below our value. We often played well, but unfortunately didn't score the goals and then got them." Former coach Jochen Fallmann put "Dirni" on the bench ("It was a bit incomprehensible"), but he played permanently for his successor Patrick Enengl. "He immediately put his trust in me - it was a good relationship, a good working relationship," said the 26-year-old central defender about the coach, who is barely four years his senior and is still unbeaten with the Mostviertler in this league season. "Patrick is young, hungry and sets the team up well. He wants to play very actively and quickly up front." And: "Amstetten have started the season really well. It will be an intense match. There won't be any friends in the 90 minutes, but of course we'll chat again afterwards."

"Dirni" hiking with girlfriend Lena.(Bild: Privat)

Bregenz? Dirnberger has always played through, he sees a lot possible for his new team, which advanced to round three of the ÖFB Cup with a 2-0 win in St. Pölten on Tuesday: "We have many new additions, high quality and want a single-digit place in the table - that's possible." Life in the Ländle suits him. He lives in Götzis with his girlfriend Lena, whom he met during his time at Vorwärts Steyr, and enjoys playing tennis, hiking and other activities. "The quality of life is high, the people are really friendly and nice. We've felt very much at home here right from the start."