“Contract Extensions, Breakups, and Rumors: End of Season Effects on Austrian Football Clubs”

The end of the season, the approaching transition period, has its effects. Shown in contract extensions, with breakups and rumours. Across the league. On Thursday, Austria reported completion with Marvin Martins, on Friday LASK reported three key players within three hours, and Wolfsberg with two. Radovan Vujanovic, head of sport at Linz, first extended the contract with the 29-year-old left-back Rene Renner by three years until 2026. By four years with the “magic mouse” in midfield, Sascha Horvath, who is just reaching his prime at 26, as well as as with the 31-year-old creative player Robert Zulj. For him, this means a “pension contract”, so to speak. When that ends, his career should be over by the time he is 35.

At Wolfsberg, President Dietmar Riegler and Manfred Schmid, head of sport and trainer in one, managed a surprise that was not necessarily to be expected: namely, convincing the 26-year-old defense chief Dominik Baumgartner (picture) and his advisor Thomas Böhm of a new three-year contract. Because Baumgartner also had contacts with Sturm Graz and LASK. Wolfsberg can consider the deal a great success. In addition, Wolfsberg extended the contract with 31-year-old Thorsten Röcher, which lasted until 2024, and who recently proved himself as a joker, by one year. Röcher is also one of Böhm’s protégés. Maybe that was a “concession” for the Baumgartner deal, a kind of barter.

At Rapid, however, sports director Markuskatzer revealed which contracts were not extended. With three midfielders: As expected with Christoph Knasmüllner, also with Dejan Petrovic and Lionel Schuster. Both slowed down injury bad luck decisively. However, Rapid were pioneers in terms of contract extensions with goalkeeper Niklas Hedl, whose appearance against Sturm Graz on Sunday is a question mark because of the shoulder injury, Leopold Querfeld, Jonas Auer and Oliver Strunz, so to speak, Austria then followed suit with Manfred Fischer. The future of Kevin Wimmer and goalie Paul Gartler are open at Rapid. Catter didn’t want to reveal anything about this, nor did he want to reveal which positions Rapid is looking for reinforcements. Sturm’s sporting director Andreas Schicker named goalkeeper, right-back and central midfield as positions where action is needed. Goalie because it is not yet clear what will happen to Arthur Okonkwo as Arsenal plan with the 21-year-old. katzer didn’t want to be that specific. But it’s no secret that Rapid is looking for a number ten.

There are also rumors about champions Red Bull Salzburg. He will say goodbye to goalkeeper Alexander Walke shortly before his 40th birthday after 13 years at the club with ten championship titles and nine cup wins. The German, who was voted goalie of the season in the league from 2016 to 2018, will stay with Salzburg as a goalkeeper trainer at the academy. Another goalkeeper with the first name Alexander will come: Alexander Schlager, who will play his last home game for LASK at home against Austria on Sunday. A new competitor for Salzburg’s regular goalkeeper Philipp Köhn? There is speculation about the Swiss, according to which VfB Stuttgart could be his goal if the Swabians manage to stay up in the league. In any case, Stuttgart is parting ways with its goalkeepers Fabian Bredlow and Florian Müller.

There are also rumors at Austria Klagenfurt about a new managing director: Günther Gorenzel-Simonitsch is to follow Matthias Imhof. When coach Peter Pacult was informed of this after training on Friday, he was surprised. Gorenzel became known as Walter Schachner’s assistant at FC Kärnten, Wiener Austria, at GAK during the successful period and at 1860 Munich in the second German league, when Rapids’ current managing director Steffen Hofmann played there for six months. That ended the chapter together. Gorenzel’s other positions as assistant coach: Rubin Kazan in Russia, Kaiserslautern, Austria Klagenfurt (2012), Hoffenheim. He was boss at Blau Weiß Linz for a few months in 2017. Gorenzel has been the managing director of 1860München since February 1, 2019, currently far below expectations in eighth place in the third division. This year Gorenzel was interim coach in four games, none of which won in 1860. His contract with the “Löwen” runs until 2024. In Munich, some describe the move to Klagenfurt as an escape from the chaos he has caused himself.

Photo: WAC/Pessentheiner.