Shortage of bulls

Instead of oversupply, there is suddenly a shortage of players

In demand as a leader: Mads Bidstrup.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Salzburg's squad was too big, so the bosses mucked out in the winter. However, injuries are now causing a shortage. The runners-up are benefiting from only being active in one competition. WSG Tirol visit Wals-Siezeneheim on Saturday, where only a win counts.

A few weeks ago, there was a consensus in the camp of runners-up Salzburg: the squad was clearly too big!

In the winter transfer window, attempts were therefore made to reduce the size of the squad. There was an oversupply of players, particularly in (central) midfield. Those responsible took action to tackle this problem and thin out the squad. The loan of Stefan Bajcetic, who joined from Liverpool FC in the summer, was terminated prematurely. Frenchman Lucas Gourna-Douath was also loaned out to AS Roma. Due to the departure of Amar Dedic, Argentinian Nicolas Capaldo returned to the right-back position, which he has held several times in the past.

Maurits Kjaergaard, meanwhile, has been out injured for weeks. A hoped-for start against Sturm Graz at the beginning of March could be tight, and he was not in training with the Bulls yesterday either. However, things have got even worse for the team from Mozartstadt in the past few days: Playmaker Oscar Gloukh, who suffered a broken radius and completed an individual program in Taxham yesterday morning in plaster, and Takumu Kawamura are two more players out through injury. The Japanese player suffered a broken collarbone in the 0-0 draw in Klagenfurt and has already undergone surgery. However, he will miss at least six weeks and the accusations of a misguided squad policy must be refuted in this case. After dropping out of the Champions League and losing to LASK in the Cup, Salzburg now only play in one competition, the Bundesliga.

In this respect, it was not quantitatively necessary to sign replacements for the departures. The fact that the injury devil would strike with such severity cannot be taken into account. Otherwise, every club would have to employ a mammoth squad.

Others are now required, such as Bobby Clark, who has so far failed to live up to expectations. Or Mamady Diambou, who has rarely made an appearance since extending his contract in the fall.

Nevertheless, Gloukh's return to match action is foreseeable. He probably won't be in the squad against WSG Tirol, but as things stand he could make an appearance against Vienna Austria next week or against double winners Sturm Graz in early March. Regardless of this, only one thing counts for Thomas Letsch's team on Saturday (17) when they visit Wals-Siezenheim: a win!

After 17 matchdays, the Bulls are still only in fifth place, ten points behind Sturm and seven behind Austria. Personnel problems and injury worries - another collapse like the recent one in Klagenfurt would be a sporting disaster!