Storm challenged

0:3 must be a wake-up call – Head of Sport defends team

Hanging heads at Sturm after the bad WAC rebuff.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Sturm are licking their wounds after the rebuff against Wolfsberg. A defeat that should wake up the double-winning team. The Blacks must finally put their glorious season behind them. Alexandar Borkovic has other worries, as he now has to digest another setback. 

A few minutes after the bitter 3-0 defeat against the WAC, Andreas Schicker was able to smile again. Junior Matteo, whom Sturm's sporting director shouldered after the final whistle, made sure of that. While Wolfsberg celebrated the sensation of the double winners in the visitors' dressing room with Gert Steinbäckers Styrian anthem of all things, the beaten favorites licked their wounds. Sturm don't have much time left, they want to do better at Austria on Wednesday. On Monday, coach Christian Ilzer once again put his finger in the wound and spoke frankly during training.

Another setback for Alexandar Borkovic.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Schicker shakes his head at the howls of crisis that can be heard in some quarters. "Of course this defeat hurts, but at the end of the day nothing has happened. If we win at Austria, we'll be top of the table," said the sporting director, standing in front of the team. "I know that they have good character. There have been games like this in the past and they've always shown a good reaction."

They have to put the past behind them, but that won't happen overnight.

Sportchef Andreas Schicker

Purely a matter of the head
The final greed was missing in the WAC defeat - purely a matter of the head. "You have to put the past behind you, but you can't do that overnight. It's enough if the double victory still resonates very slightly in your head. Then you lack the basics, you give a little less, you're not at your best. Perhaps the defeat was a good thing in this clarity." And a wake-up call for those who have not yet arrived in the new season.

Alexandar Borkovic wanted to get going again soon after tearing his cruciate ligament. But now, unfortunately, there has been a setback. The central defender has to go under the knife again and will lose around a month on his way back.