There is a bang in Hütteldorf, with Rapid playing power games between club bosses and fans.
Wien. The storming of the Rapid fans in 2011 was a turning point in the club’s history, and the 2019 presidential election campaign left deep ditches in the club. But what is currently happening at Rapid might be one step above that, and have even more drastic consequences for the club in the long term. Since Thursday evening, the European Cup debacle once morest Vaduz, there has been sheer chaos in Hütteldorf. Every day new details come to light that have been building up for weeks.
Managing Director Christoph Peschek and President Martin Bruckner (“The club is currently unmanageable”) gave up under pressure from the active fan scene. Some of them stormed towards the VIP grandstand on Thursday, later also penetrating the office. In a nightly discussion with the club bosses, they called for a realignment of the club, including the heads of those responsible. It’s reminiscent of a coup.
Fan scene puts all their hopes in Hofmann
The background: The appendix forces legend Steffen Hofmann as the new president, hoping for a step into a more successful sporting future with the 41-year-old. The German, who made 540 appearances for Rapid in his career, has been working on his own list in the background for quite some time. Left out officials like sponsor representatives and a few VIPs were just waiting to get one over on the current club leadership, thirsting for a little more power in the club.
Werner Kuhn is also part of this list: The 68-year-old, who has been with the club since the early 1990s, most recently worked as a freelance consultant for sponsorship acquisition. Including own office. But that he had to vacate immediately following the home game once morest Sturm under the supervision of security on Sunday.
Because: Peschek and Bruckner got wind of Kuhn’s plans to support Liste Hofmann, felt betrayed – and now handed him the resignation signed by both of them. Officially, because you are entering into a cooperation with sports rights marketer Sportfive, which no longer requires Kuhn’s services. Unofficially out of revenge – there is no other way to explain the time and nature of the dismissal…
Other big construction sites: sport and main sponsor
And now? If Rapid is in front of a huge pile of shards, the Viennese are de facto without a leader. Even if Bruckner emphasized that the presidency was “fully capable of acting” until the election in November. However, intrigues and match games are currently in high season, and the club’s external image is catastrophic.
There are enough issues that need to be addressed: Sporty things are not going well, coach Ferdinand Feldhofer is heavily counted before tomorrow’s cup game in Allerheiligen. Financially, unpleasant issues await in times of inflation and rising prices.
In addition, Rapid threatens to lose the financially troubled main sponsor Wien Energie, which has been pumping millions into the club for sponsorship since 2003, at the end of the year.