Before the clash with Austria

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Atsushi Zaizen (red) and GAK urgently need their first win.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

GAK have to face Austria on Saturday. Anything but an easy task for the bottom team. But the last Bundesliga win against the Violets came over 17 years ago. Meanwhile, fans are busy discussing coach Gernot Messner. The Carinthian is still relaxed about the situation.

All nine must be prevented! Everyone at GAK agrees on that. The promoted club is currently the only team in the Bundesliga without a win, with fans waiting eight rounds in vain. The last win in the top division came on April 18, 2007. With a 2:1 win against Vienna Austria.

The GAK will adapt something, adjust. Then at some point you might have to turn cogs that you don't normally turn. I wish it for this club. It will just get more difficult from week to week. I think a discussion about the coach is completely crazy.

Ex-GAK-Trainer und Sky-Experte Peter Stöger

Coach Gernot Messner's men will make their next attempt on Saturday. The opponent? That's right, Austria. Perhaps a good omen for a liberating blow. Among fans and experts alike, the discussion about the coach has already picked up speed. Ex-GAK coach Peter Stöger said after the 1:2 against Klagenfurt: "I think a discussion about the coach would be completely crazy." Former team striker Marc Janko agreed on Sky: "Overall, I'm not a fan of that at the moment."

Coach Gernot Messner has the confidence of the management.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

But what does Messner himself say? "I'm not letting that get to me. If you don't win, then the discussion is legitimate." The board and the sporting management around Didi Elsneg unanimously expressed their confidence in the Carinthian. "I can't say whether my job is at risk. But I mustn't let myself go crazy now!" said the 43-year-old.

Much has been analyzed recently. "In the negative case, you do it more than usual. We always have as many or even more chances than our opponents and have never been outplayed. We're missing little things that we unfortunately haven't figured out yet."

The chances are there - but Daniel Maderner and the offense don't score often enough.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

The knot should finally burst against the Violets. "I've never experienced a negative streak like this before. Not even so many goals conceded in eight games. You have to remember positive things now: My first match in the second division was against the Young Violets. My games in the Generali-Arena were also good," hopes goalkeeper Jakob Meierhofer. "We have to stay positive now and perform like that. There's nothing more to say."

Good memories
Another good omen: GAK won their last clash with Austria as a regional league team in the Cup quarter-finals in February 2019 with a 2:1 victory. The run of success back then was only halted by Salzburg in the semi-finals with a 0:6 defeat.