In the end, the first win of the season wasn’t enough. Despite the 3-1 win in the supplementary game against Neuhofen during the week, SK Schärding subsequently parted ways with coach Holger Stemplinger. This marks the third coaching change in the West Regional League this season after Grieskirchen and Schwanenstadt. “Holger wasn’t guilty of anything, but the points tally from the first eight games was simply not satisfactory,” says Andreas Michl, sporting director in Schärding.
Michl coached the team on an interim basis against Gschwandt on Saturday. What will happen next after the 5-0 defeat in the dugout of the second-to-last team in the table will be decided this week. “It is clear that we still need points until winter so that our goal for the season, staying in the league, remains within reach,” says Michl. The Schärdinger sports director sets 15 points as the minimum goal by the winter break.
District derby on Friday
The crucial games to achieve this goal would now be on the program. “At the beginning we almost exclusively had opponents from the top half of the table and therefore had the most difficult opening program in the league. Our opponents on equal terms are now coming.” The first is with the SPG Esternberg/St. Roman a local rival. The traditional district derby takes place on Friday in Schärding.
