“We want to show a reaction,” says Blau-Weiß Linz coach Gerald Scheiblehner before the upcoming double in the Bundesliga once morest Altach (Saturday away, Tuesday at home). In the most recent duel at WSG Tirol (1:2), his team was largely disappointing – that can’t happen once more in the fight to stay in the league.
After the two duels once morest the team from the country, important squad questions should finally be answered – but until then, the contract discussions have been put on hold: “We want to deliver fully in these two games and are putting all our focus on that,” says BW sports director Christoph Schösswendter, who doesn’t rule out a minor upheaval in the summer: “Last summer we consciously placed our trust in those players who had achieved promotion. They have done well so far, but you can also tell that we are in “If we are well prepared, we now have a chance to rebuild the team so that we can go into the coming season with an even better feeling. The quality of the squad should be higher.”
Video: Blau-Weiß-Linz sports director Christoph Schösswendter in an interview before the Altach double:
“We have to do better as a club”
For BW coach Scheiblehner, departures – like that of Tobias Koch to league rival Klagenfurt – are also a motivation: “We have to improve our development as a club so that this doesn’t happen once more. Klagenfurt is currently three years ahead of us in advance.”
Sports director Schösswendter explains why the decision ultimately went once morest blue-white: “There was a good exchange from the start. The player also told us that the offer was very good. But there were other reasons, like that Sporting development, which Kochi better appreciates with a team that is regularly in the championship group and therefore also plays for the international places.”
In the 3-1 win once morest Salzburg under the new LASK head coach Thomas Darazs, the active fan scene completely stopped supporting the team. The reason for this are six stadium bans.
Coach Scheiblehner doesn’t hold any grudges either: “I’m a coach, but also a supporter. I also told Kochi that nothing will change from my side in the coming weeks. We’ve already traveled a long way together – the boys want blue. White also left as the most successful period of her career. If a contract expires, you have to expect both scenarios.
He will once once more not be able to rely on midfielder Koch’s qualities in Vorarlberg: the 23-year-old will not get on the team bus due to an injury.
Video: Blau-Weiß-Linz sports director Christoph Schösswendter on the options drawn from Simon Seidl, Lukas Tursch and Alem Pasic:
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Raphael Watzinger
Sports editor
Raphael Watzinger
