The Bundesliga voices

Klauß: “THAT hurts on a day like today!”

Robert Klauß (Rapid coach)

(Bild: GEPA)

Read what the teams had to say after the clashes between FC Blau-Weiß Linz and TSV Hartberg, WSG Tirol and FK Austria Wien, SK Austria Klagenfurt and SCR Altach, SK Rapid and GAK, FC Red Bull Salzburg and Wolfsberger AC as well as SK Sturm Graz and LASK HERE!

Gerald Scheiblehner (Blue & White coach): "We put in a top performance on the pitch. We were a bit shocked after the equalizer. In the second half we changed a few things and finished the game sensationally. It was a very mature performance. Hats off to the attitude and the courage. It felt like a frenzy of play in the second half, the team always wanted the next goal. I'm delighted with the team. Talking is one thing, doing is another. The score at half-time didn't really matter, the last few minutes were nerve-wracking. Now we're up against the big boys, we're not ashamed to be in the top six. With 33 points, there's no need to talk it down, we deserve to be in the top six. When I think of champions, I think of janitors or lifeguards. What we have achieved is absolutely at the limit. Our task next year will be to start again with the aim of staying in the league. Everything is shining at the moment, but I know where we're coming from. Promotion was even more important for the club. We can enjoy the championship group and only win. The goal now is not sixth place, but we are realistic and modest. What do we have to lose? We want to offer the fans passion. We'll see what comes out in the end."

Manfred Schmid (Hartberg coach): "We started the game quite well and had the first great chance to score. In the second half it was too little in all respects, Blau-Weiß deserved to win. We started the championship relatively badly, we were in last place when I arrived. We didn't get off to a good start in the second half of the season. We had a lot of absentees, in one game we had five people with flu. First and foremost, we have to focus on the relegation battle and increase the gap to the bottom, then we'll see."

Philipp Semlic (WSG coach): "It was a very evenly-matched game. It's a shame that we didn't score from the two good chances we had in the first half. That would have swung the pendulum to our side and so we chased it. Of course, it's a shame that a penalty decision against you changes the game again. But I can't blame the team. They kept it at eye level for 90 minutes. In the end, you have to say that Austria have qualities, what they throw in from the bench. The serious side of life begins for us now, we know what's at stake in the lower play-off."

Stephan Helm (Austria coach): "Our opponents were very well prepared, that's what I assumed. They made it really difficult for us. But we're still far from being too good to take on games like this, where there's little space, where it's very much man-to-man. You simply have to invest with the ball, and we showed that willingness. When you take a 1:0 lead, the spaces open up more. It was a very cohesive team performance. The longer the game went on, the more you saw a team that was willing to give everything right to the end."

Peter Pacult (Klagenfurt coach): "We had hoped for more before the game, after the lightning start with the nice 1:0 it actually looked good. Then, however, we gave our opponents too much space and didn't play well in front of the two goals. After the break, we showed our true colors and unfortunately only scored the deserved equalizer late on. If you concede two goals to your opponent, you have to be satisfied with a point."

Fabio Ingolitsch (Altach coach): "A turbulent affair, but we didn't need much to win. After the quick 0:1, our response was impressive. Unfortunately, we failed to make it 3:1. In the last 20 minutes, the pressure from Klagenfurt was too great and the equalizer was somehow on the cards. Nevertheless, we're happy to take the point. It's also positive that we were five points behind a few weeks ago, now we go into the qualifying round level on points with GAK."

Robert Klauß (Rapid coach): "We're happy about the win. There was a lot at stake, we are relieved. Of course, we're not completely satisfied with the overall situation because we've dropped a few points recently. That hurts all the more on a day like today when you realize what could have been. The game was good and very respectable from a footballing point of view, things went really well from 1-0 at the latest. It was impressive how clearly and confidently we played this game despite the pressure situation. That shows what potential the team has. Our job as a coaching team is to always tease out this potential and push ourselves to the limit as often as possible."

Rene Poms (GAK coach): "The defeat is deserved, due to the first half anyway. We didn't start the game well, were far too passive, far too inactive - exactly the opposite of what we set out to do. We didn't make it too difficult for Rapid with a corner goal and a penalty. It's difficult to take anything away from home in Vienna. We simply didn't put up enough of a fight today."

Thomas Letsch (Salzburg coach): "The three points are important. But there are a few things we need to do better in the championship group. We want to remain stable, but overall we have to become sharper and more effective going forward. If you finish the basic round in third place as Red Bull Salzburg, you can't be satisfied, but we're in it. It will be more exciting than ever and anything is possible. What we still lack is consistency. Defensively, the stability is there, our shortcoming is clearly our effectiveness."

Dietmar Kühbauer (WAC coach): "We were non-existent for the first 45 minutes. Salzburg were clearly the better team and could have scored the second goal. It was our lack of courage that made them strong. We simply weren't ready and attacking enough. We were better in the second half, but a game of soccer requires goals, which unfortunately we didn't score. We won't admit defeat in the championship group, but it would be presumptuous to say: 'We want to be champions'. We will try to sell our skin as dearly as possible. Basically, it will be extremely tight."

Jürgen Säumel (Sturm coach): "I'm incredibly happy for the team after a very good performance. We were aggressive against the ball and also had good solutions in possession. We had everything under control until the red card. Of course, LASK were also short of substitutes. But it could have tipped over again. (...) We are still not on top of things, it will be an exciting group of champions. If we believe in ourselves, then a lot is possible, but it won't be a walk in the park."

Markus Schopp (LASK coach): "We don't need to beat around the bush, the defeat is completely acceptable. Sturm did better in many areas. We didn't manage to become active and didn't play out our transition opportunities well. In the second half, we used the crowbar a bit more, which gave us the feeling that we had the chance to catch up. But Sturm managed to cause us problems time and again, even when we were outnumbered."