2024-01-05 18:19:09
Salzburg’s biggest challenger Sturm Graz is heading into the spring confidently. The question of one should be clarified in the training camp.
A new number 1 still needs to be found. APA/Erwin Scheriau
Sturm Graz started their winter preparations on Friday with a good deal of optimism, but still without a new goalkeeper. The Graz team are two points behind series champions Salzburg in the Bundesliga and are the only ÖFB club to have three weddings in the spring. According to sports director Andreas Schicker, no departures are currently planned. A solution should be found for the open goalkeeper position in the next ten days.
Sturm’s goalie Kjell Scherpen underwent surgery on his torn cruciate ligament in his knee shortly before Christmas. “For me, Kjell was the best goalkeeper in Austria. He was a stroke of luck for us,” emphasized Schicker. He wants to extend the loan contract for the Dutchman, who will complete his rehab at home from Saturday until March, with the English Premier League club Brighton early for the coming season.
The replacement we are looking for is a temporary solution for six months. “We want to have our new number one at the training camp in Turkey,” explained Schicker. Sturm will fly to Belek on January 15th after a short camp in Catez (SLO). According to Schicker, we are in intensive discussions with two candidates. With a keeper these would already be in the final phase.
“There are a lot of good goalkeepers who are at big clubs, but for whom a loan to Sturm Graz fits well into their concept,” said Schicker. Before Scherpen, this had already been practiced with Arsenal’s Arthur Okonkwo. “It’s not true that no one under two meters can come to Sturm Graz,” said Schicker about their height. “There are also good goalkeepers who are 1.90 meters tall.” However, one would be less willing to spend money on fixed commitments in this sector than in the offensive area – because goalies also yield less if they are sold on.
No offers for Sturm players
There are currently no concrete offers for Sturm players. “Our goal is to stay together like this,” emphasized Schicker. Then there will be no additions apart from the goalkeeper position. “We had a good fall season in which we achieved our goals.” The sports director named Niklas Geyrhofer, Vesel Demaku, Bryan Teixeira and Mohamed Fuseini as possible rental options. “But it also has to make sense from a sporting point of view.” At least one of the offensive duo Fuseini/Teixeira will stay in Graz in the spring.
Teixeira and Amadou Dante were absent from the start of training due to preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations, while Javi Serrano and Jon Gorenc-Stankovic were absent due to illness. Defense chief Gregory Wüthrich is on the verge of a comeback after a two-month break due to knee edema. The Swiss has already trained individually this week and will start team training in the next few weeks.
Conversations with Kiteishvili, Affengruber and Hierländer
Schicker wants to extend the contract that expires in the summer with another top performer: Otar Kiteishvili. As with David Affengruber and Captain Stefan Hierländer, he is in good discussions about this. “Yes, he is an absolute key player, but at an age where he also wants to keep other options open for himself,” said Schicker about the 27-year-old Georgian. He will try everything to keep Kiteishvili in the storm. “But we also have our limits as to how much you can invest.”
After the cup quarter-finals against Vienna Austria (February 2nd), the league hits in Salzburg (February 9th) and against Rapid (February 18th) await Sturm at the start. In between there is the intermediate round of the Conference League against Slovan Bratislava (February 15th and 22nd). “It gets off to a quick start in February, without much start-up time,” said Schicker, who got married on December 30th. “We are going into the new year full of enthusiasm and have big goals,” added Hierländer. Having wintered in Europe is a big thing for the club. “We will hold up the red-white-red flags and want to move forward.”
Ilzer warns about Slovan and Sandwich
Coach Christian Ilzer warned that Slovan was a very experienced team. “We have to get into shape quickly and prepare well so that we are within reach,” said the Styrian. “We have knockout games – Cup, plus Salzburg and Rapid in the sandwich of the Conference League games. This is a very attractive opening program that will challenge us very much. It is essential that the best players are available right from the start and in good condition form.”
The starting position in the championship is good. “Salzburg is the big favorite, but we want to exploit our full potential,” explained Ilzer. The autumn was a challenge due to the high load with 28 games and many national team call-ups. “Even after this challenging autumn, we are within striking distance in all three competitions. That gives me courage that we will experience one or another highlight in the spring. We have a mature collective that can deal with adversity.”
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