For LASK:

Success against former successful coach is almost mandatory!

Didi Kühbauer returns to the Gugl for 90 minutes.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

453 days after his surprising sacking, Didi Kühbauer returns to the Gugl in Linz for the first time on Sunday at 5pm. LASK are already under extreme pressure against their last successful coach. Yes, they almost have to win against Wolfsberger AC!

What did Jürgen Klopp say? "It's not important what people think when you come. It's much more important what people think when you leave!"

This applies above all to Didi Kühbauer when he returns to the Gugl for the first time on Sunday: 453 days after his completely surprising departure from LASK during the 2023 summer break. "The biggest LASK mistake in recent years in terms of sports strategy," is still being said about the 53-year-old, although his equally surprising appointment on 3 May 2022 was met with great disapproval in some quarters. That changed, however, when Kühbauer quickly and unerringly brought the "LASK-Kahn", which had been in trouble under his predecessors Dominik Thalhammer and Andreas Wieland, to third place in the 2022-23 season and thus back on the road to success. After 41 games, however, he had to leave on 6 June - accompanied by various rumors, but without any real justification - despite a personal points average of 1.73

Things went downhill after he left!
From then on, however, it went downhill! LASK error Thomas Sageder only scored 1.49 points per game. That of Thomas Darazs, who had to take over the heavy legacy of his weak predecessor, is now only 1.43.

I've fallen a little in love with the city

Dietmar Kühbauer vor seiner „Rückkehr“ nach Linz

All the more reason for Kühbauer to be met with sympathy in Linz today, especially as he remarked before the game: "I've fallen in love with the city a little!"

The only question is whether he will still recognize his former squad.

20 additions and 24 departures
20 The fact is that since Kühbauer's departure around 15 months ago, LASK has brought in no fewer than 20 players for the professional squad alone and released 24. Which, in addition to the coaching errors, is perhaps another reason why things are going so badly internationally and nationally despite a 40-million-euro squad. After three league defeats in a row and missing out on the Europa League, a win against Wolfsberger AC and thus against the former successful coach is all the more important today!