Counterattack after comeback
Hinteregger: “I feel sorry for people like that”
Martin Hinteregger finally returned to professional soccer on Tuesday. The Neo-Austria-Klagenfurt player responded to accusations from users online that he had run out of money with a tough counter-attack.
"I feel a bit sorry for people like that, who have to write comments to get a bit of attention. I'll never understand these people who anonymously criticize others. It's a worldwide phenomenon, but it's sad that there are still some people like that. It's cowardly, but there will always be people like that," emphasizes Hinteregger. "Unless the media perhaps come up with the idea of switching off the comment functions."
Various onlookers and camera crews were on hand when the 32-year-old completed his first training session at Austria Klagenfurt on Tuesday morning. The former team defender was still rather reserved on the pitch, but was more talkative at the subsequent media appointment. Hinteregger still has a lot of catching up to do. However, he wants to be back in the Bundesliga in the spring.
"I noticed straight away what was lacking," said the Carinthian after his debut in Waidmannsdorf. He mentioned speed and agility. "The most important thing is to get back on track competitively." Getting to know his new team-mates is a priority both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Hinteregger has signed with the Klagenfurters until the summer of 2026 and will be eligible to play again from 1 January.
"Martin hasn't forgotten anything"
Peter Pacult was confident that he could count on a reinforcement in the new year. "Martin hasn't forgotten anything," said the Austria coach. It is still difficult to say when Hinteregger will be the expected back-up again. According to Pacult, however, one thing is clear: "Anyone who knows him knows that when he sets his mind to something, he sees it through."
After retiring from professional sport almost two and a half years ago, Hinteregger has played as a striker for SGA Sirnitz in the Carinthian lower division since the summer of 2022. From the fall, he was player-coach of the fifth-division club. The 67-time team player made headlines after a dispute with a fan who reported him to the police. He himself suffered a serious injury after falling on his shoulder and has therefore been unable to train for the past two months.
A comeback in the top division has recently become increasingly appealing to the now family man, as he explained. "I want to play soccer again, although I was never completely away," he said and also stated: "My ambition is too great to kick around in the lower leagues." Klagenfurt's Austria recently conceded a 7-0 defeat at Sturm Graz. The club is currently in ninth place in the Bundesliga. Hinteregger is a real Carinthian who should also attract more fans to the Wörthersee Stadium.
Comeback in the Bundesliga against Salzburg on the cards
When talking to young footballers, he realized that Carinthia is looking for role models and idols, said Hinteregger. This was one of the reasons why he joined Austria. "It's a win-win situation for both sides." He wants to catch up physically in December. "I'll do everything I can to be 100 percent fit for the first spring game." Then it's against his former club Red Bull Salzburg, of all teams.
The defender, who lives in St. Veit, described the expectations associated with his comeback as the "biggest challenge". But he also has high expectations of himself. Hinteregger was confident in his usual manner. "What I achieved in Salzburg at the age of 18, I'm confident I can do in Klagenfurt at 32," he said, looking back on his start in the professional game. "I'm really positive about that."
In any case, Austria were not only celebrating a sporting coup. The Hinteregger jerseys with the number 13 were a big hit on Tuesday. A night shift had already been put in as a precaution, as managing director Peer Jaekel reported. "We also received many orders from the Frankfurt area." Hinteregger won the Europa League title with Eintracht in 2022, then spoke about motivation problems and drew a - temporary - line under his career.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
Kommentare
Willkommen in unserer Community! Eingehende Beiträge werden geprüft und anschließend veröffentlicht. Bitte achten Sie auf Einhaltung unserer Netiquette und AGB. Für ausführliche Diskussionen steht Ihnen ebenso das krone.at-Forum zur Verfügung. Hier können Sie das Community-Team via unserer Melde- und Abhilfestelle kontaktieren.
User-Beiträge geben nicht notwendigerweise die Meinung des Betreibers/der Redaktion bzw. von Krone Multimedia (KMM) wieder. In diesem Sinne distanziert sich die Redaktion/der Betreiber von den Inhalten in diesem Diskussionsforum. KMM behält sich insbesondere vor, gegen geltendes Recht verstoßende, den guten Sitten oder der Netiquette widersprechende bzw. dem Ansehen von KMM zuwiderlaufende Beiträge zu löschen, diesbezüglichen Schadenersatz gegenüber dem betreffenden User geltend zu machen, die Nutzer-Daten zu Zwecken der Rechtsverfolgung zu verwenden und strafrechtlich relevante Beiträge zur Anzeige zu bringen (siehe auch AGB). Hier können Sie das Community-Team via unserer Melde- und Abhilfestelle kontaktieren.