For two Innviertel teams in the Landesliga West there hasn’t been much to laugh about so far this season. Both SPG Schärding and SPG Munderfing/Pfaffstätt have only won one of the first nine games, and the two syndicates are currently at the bottom of the table with four points each.
Due to the sporting downturn, there have been recent coaching changes at both clubs: While Schärding parted ways with coach Holger Stemplinger last week, Munderfing coach Peter Erlach resigned from his position at the beginning of this week. Erlach only took over command in the summer, but the recent significant defeats in the derby against Schalchen (0:4) and Schwanenstadt (1:7) led to a relatively early separation, says sports director Matthias Spitzer.
“The collaboration with Peter worked well in the first few weeks. We basically had a good idea of how we could be successful. Unfortunately, after the upheaval in the summer, we lost other top performers, which mainly led us to the current situation,” says Spitzer. An internal club duo, goalie coach Sandro Promock and captain Michael Bauböck, will temporarily take over. But they want to find a new coach as quickly as possible, said Spitzer.
In the coming weeks, a few more points will be added to the Munderfinger points account. Spitzer set a goal of at least ten points. “We want to have the opportunity to fight to stay in the league in the spring,” says the sporting director. On Saturday we go to Grieskirchen, seventh in the table, who recently celebrated three wins in a row.
Resignation from resignation
The clear and only goal for the season in Schärding is to stay in the league. In order not to lose touch early on, the penultimate team in the table is now relying on routine from their own ranks: Andreas Michl, sporting director in Schärding, is returning as goalkeeper between the posts, at least until winter. The 44-year-old actually ended his active career in the summer, but now Michl is unpacking his goalie gloves again. “Due to the negative series, the club asked me to support our young team again. We just haven’t been up to scratch defensively lately,” says the Schärdinger “Lower House Buffon”, who, like the Italian goalkeeper legend, is apparently of older football age hasn’t had enough yet.
In any case, with veteran Michl, more security should return to the Schärdinger game. For this purpose, the sporting director is also giving up the place on the coaching bench, which he had taken over on an interim basis after parting ways with Stemplinger last weekend against Gschwandt (0:5). “In the current situation, I can certainly do more in goal than in the dugout,” says Michl. It is not yet known who will follow in Michl’s place. With the derby classic at home against Esternberg on Friday (7 p.m.), the first test is on the program for Michl and his team. With 19 goals, the “Sauwaldveilchen” currently have the third best offense in the league.
Image: Reinhard Schröckelsberger
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Image: Reinhard Schröckelsberger
The two best offensive lines in the Landesliga West will then meet on Saturday in Andorf. SPG Andorf/Sigharting welcomes Union Gschwandt at home (4 p.m.), who are currently leaders in points lost. With one more game and four wins in a row, FCA is currently at the top.
“We are currently very stable at the back and are only allowing very little,” says Andorf coach Bernhard Straif. This will also be necessary against the in-form guests from the Salzkammergut. “Gschwandt is a dangerous team with a lot of routine and cleverness. It will be a close and tough match,” says Straif.
