“Realistically speaking, it will be a real challenge. Voitsberg has a top team, but we have enough self-confidence to continue to have a say in the promotion fight,” Wels coach Emin Sulimani continues to believe in the miracle.
In preparation, his team was already up to operating temperature: apart from the 4-0 defeat once morest second division team Ried, all ten other winter test games were won. Things got fiery in the truest sense of the word recently in the Huber Arena, the home of the gaming community: a fire broke out in a technical room in the sports facility, which is why the floodlights were not ready for use until yesterday. “That was of course suboptimal,” says Sulimani, whose team even had to go into exile for two weeks as a result. Because the Wels football team “Huskies” is housed in the Mauth Stadium, the venue of the former club WSC/Hertha, during the week, the regional football team found a temporary home at the place of the lower house club ESV Wels. Sulimani: “We wanted to train on natural grass, which was thankfully made possible for us.”
Gurten also has space problems
The Sulimani team is scheduled to return to Wimpassing for the final training session on Thursday, before the start of the second half of the season takes place the following day.
The Welsers were not the only club that faced space problems during preparation. “Out of 40 training sessions, we felt like we only played two on the field in Gurten,” complains Gurten coach Peter Madritsch. The people of Innviertel are increasingly reaching their limits: “In addition to our fighting team, we also have a 1b team and a 1c team. There are almost 40 people on the field during joint training.” That’s why he and his team moved to the SV Ried academy facility and the natural grass in Ort im Innkreis in winter due to the weather.
Madritsch also ties his own future to the infrastructure: In the summer, the 49-year-old entered his sixth season as head coach of the Innviertel team. “We have to do better when it comes to infrastructure.” His club also knows this: work on the changing rooms and canteen began during the break. “The team also helped, everyone had a job to do,” revealed the Gurten coach. On Saturday, the kickers from the Gallic village want to prove their qualities on the pitch once more in the home game once morest ASK Klagenfurt.
SPG WSC Hogo Hertha/FC Wels
Valentin Akrap, Marco Kadlec and Josip Gabric – the club from the trade fair city strengthened the squad once more in the winter for the fight for promotion. It is still uncertain whether there will be enough for the 2nd league. One thing is certain: the merger will finally take place in the summer, and the club will then compete as “FC Hertha Wels”.
Wish eleven: Jenciragic; Gabric, Mares, Tischler; Gasperlmair, Cirkic, Mislov, Zümrüt; A. Mayr, Adrian Castro, Kadlec
SPG Wallern/St. Marienkirchen
The Trattnachtalers were the big surprise in autumn with second place. In order to defend this ranking, the club has to do its homework once more in the spring, especially on the home artificial turf.
Wish eleven: Zach; Karlinger, Ph. Mitter, F. Huspek, Schindler; Kvesa, Schildberger; Misic, Steinmayr, Ph. Huspek; Affenzeller
SK BMD Vorwärts Steyr
With two new additions, coach Markus Eitl’s team is aiming for a top five place: Martin Coello came from Spain, Michael Lageder is to be brought back into the team following knee problems.
Wish eleven: rotten land; Goldnagl, Kabashaj, Ziric; Philip, Collazo, Coello, Prokop; Sulejmanovic; B. Lukic, I Cheikh
Union Raiffeisen Gurten
Without captain Thomas Reiter (vertebral disc edema), the Innviertel team is fighting for a starting place in the ÖFB Cup. For this to happen, coach Peter Madritsch’s team would have to finish the season at least as the third-best team in Upper Austria.
Wish eleven: F. Wimmer; Zirnitzer, Schott, Schnaitter, Burghuber; Horner, D. Bauer; Wirth, Wimmleitner, Pori; cruiser
UVB Oberbank Vöcklamarkt
Shortly before the end of the winter transfer period, striker Ivan Jakesevic left for home for personal reasons. Globetrotter Teo Jukic – who was already active in America and Finland – is supposed to replace him.
Wish eleven: Schober; Eberl, D. Pointner, S. Würtinger; Gaugger, Födinger, Brandmayr, Meilinger, Purkrabek; Juric, Knez
LASK Amateurs Upper Austria
The black and whites can hope for the qualities of a prominent kicker in the spring: Peter Michorl’s move to China will probably not work out – the 28-year-old will continue to train with the amateurs.
Wish eleven: Jungwirth; Würdinger, S. Leitner, S. Wimmer, Peric; Schabauer, Eisschill, Michorl, Haberl; A. Haider, Taoui
Young Viking Ried
Captain Julian Baumgartner (29) took over as coach in the winter and is supposed to save the amateur team from relegation. With Diomande, Wiesinger, Madritsch or Wörndl, some professionals might get match practice.
Wish eleven: Stöger; Kapsamer, Zotter, Sammer; Belinga, Mankowski, Velecky, Steinmann; D. Wimmer, Zetic, Samardzic
Author
Raphael Watzinger
Sports editor
Raphael Watzinger
