Chris Ilzer:

A Styrian Sturm coach in the premier class

Christian Ilzer enters the Champions League stage.

(Bild: Georg Kallinger)

Christian Ilzer takes to the Champions League stage today at Stade Brest as Graz's first Styrian head coach(kick-off is at 9pm, we'll be ticking live).Club legends and former coaches reflect on the leader and his path in the "Krone".

Puch near Weiz must be buzzing today. But certainly not only there. Christian Ilzer, who is known to come from the East Styrian apple village, is only the second head coach to coach SK Sturm in a Champions League group stage match today. But the first Styrian one! The legendary performances of the Black & Whites under coach of the century Ivica Osim at the turn of the millennium marked a milestone in the history of Austrian soccer. Now a Styrian boy is leading the biggest Styrian soccer club onto the pitch in the premier class - and listening to the most famous soccer anthem in the world.

"He stands for success"
"Christian has made his way, he stands for success," praises Sturm legend Tomislav Kocijan, who caused a sensation in the Champions League as a player with Salzburg and Sturm. "He's an excellent coach - and it's great that a Styrian is competing on this stage with Sturm. Even if there are not enough players from our own ranks. But that's becoming increasingly difficult in modern soccer."

Kocijan (left) played for Sturm on Europe's biggest stage.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

There is also plenty of praise for Ilzer from Sturm's 2011 champion coach and former Austrian national team boss Franco Foda. "Christian always sets himself clear goals of what he wants to achieve. He pursues them consistently, which is the prerequisite for success. He has a clear system in all phases of the game and is very meticulous in his work. Of course, he also has the right players," says Foda. Roman Mählich - also a former Sturm coach and, of course, a glorious Champions League fighter from the past - agrees with him. "Andi Schicker must also be mentioned here. The connection between coach and sports director is perfect, the two complement each other. It was very similar in our time with Osim and Heinz Schilcher."

"The right characters brought in"
A special training guest and observer of the black and white development is Robert Pflug. Apart from the interim coaches Hösele, Neukirchner and Schopp, the now 79-year-old was the last long-term Sturm coach in Styria from January to October 1992. The ex-coach from the Gruabn days is particularly impressed by the atmosphere that currently prevails at and around the club. "Christian Ilzer and Andreas Schicker have brought the right characters to the club. Sturm is a game, you can feel that in every training session, where there is a friendly atmosphere and laughter. I haven't seen an atmosphere like this in a Sturm team for a long time, if there ever was one," says the warhorse, who is picking in front of the TV box today.

Christian sets himself clear goals that he wants to achieve and pursues consistently. That is the prerequisite for his success.

Franco Foda

Other club legends, such as Mario Haas, are cheering him on. He believes Ilzer and Co. are capable of their first victory. "Our opponents are playing internationally for the first time, we can win!"