A year ago there was a cracker on the agenda for SK Sturm Graz at the start of spring – even the biggest possible one.
In the ÖFB Cup, the guest appearance at FC Red Bull Salzburg awaited, in which the Styrians ultimately took a decisive step towards winning this title.
This was the clearly stated goal a year ago. This time, before the quarter-finals against Austria Vienna (8:30 p.m. in the LIVE ticker), you could get the impression that this competition, as one of the three in which Sturm still has ambitions, is a little on the sidelines.
However, it’s not quite like that. Because of course the “Blackies” are looking forward to another appearance in Klagenfurt after their 2023 final win against Rapid.
“We want to go back there!”
For Managing Director Sport Andreas Schicker, defending the title is a goal, as he said in an interview with LAOLA1 emphasizes:
“Last year we had an experience in Klagenfurt that, in my opinion, was the best football game ever played in Austria in terms of atmosphere. We want to go there again! And while we’re in Klagenfurt, of course we want to Don’t go home without the trophy, but if possible with it. But of course we know that we still have three big games to play before that.”
There is currently a lot of debate in the Graz area – quite understandably – about the upcoming European Cup appearance against Slovan Bratislava and the chance of winning the championship. When it comes to the cup, however, this situation doesn’t really change anything for Schicker.
With regard to winning the Cup in 2023, he says: “This experience has done something for the players. You can also feel how people are still talking about it today. However, you always have to be careful, because no one is interested in what happened yesterday.”
Schicker: The majority supports this approach
Indulging in yesterday’s feeling of success for too long is actually of little use in a business that is very focused on the present. Especially when successes create a certain habit.
The fact that expectations have increased hand in hand with the strong sporting development in recent years is also nothing unusual in the industry.
“It’s also about entertainment – if you go to the stadium, you want to see a spectacle. But that’s not always possible because the kickers aren’t machines.”
Andreas Schicker
The balancing act during a storm between euphoria and the unmistakable rumblings and grumblings about some achievements in autumn is an exciting one.
“If you play successfully over a longer period of time, there will always be the football whiners. I have the feeling that one or two people go to the stadium because of that,” Schicker smiles, but also makes it clear with regard to Sturm:
“On the other hand, I also have the feeling that this is only very isolated. Of course, negative things may be heard more and more, but I think that the majority absolutely support our path and go along with it.”
What you have to be able to live with and deal with
The success also proves that Schicker and coach Christian Ilzer’s approach was right. Second place, two points behind series champions Salzburg, and the first international winter in 23 years speak for themselves – knowing full well that there wasn’t a constant level of eye-catching football.
Schicker is also aware of this: “In a successful phase, a lot of things become normal. If there aren’t always fireworks, there’s just a bit of tampering. We have to live with that and be able to deal with it, and we understand that to a certain extent. It “It’s also about entertainment – if you go to the stadium, you want to see a spectacle. But that’s not always possible because the kickers aren’t machines that can do anything at the push of a button. The autumn was very challenging in many phases.”
It was therefore “very challenging” for the black and white management team to moderate the topic of expectations.
“In the fall, we didn’t always play at the limit. A lot of that had to do with the personnel situation. For the spring, I absolutely see the potential that we can get better in certain areas. The team knows that too. I’m in “We had a lot of one-on-one discussions with players in Turkey. They know that we’re doing great, but we weren’t absolutely at the limit,” said Schicker.
A fine line when it comes to expectations
One might think that there is room for improvement as the ideal starting position. “It’s always a fine line,” warns Schicker with a smile, “if you let it out too often, your expectations will go up again. You always have to be a little careful.”
Which brings us back to moderation. As is well known, internal and external communication do not always have to coincide. According to Schicker, you know internally how to assess the situation during a storm:
“The board, Thomas Tebbich, Chris Ilzer and I – we can assess everything well. We know how far we have come. What have we delivered? What was even possible? Then I’m very satisfied again and say: It’s the end We didn’t go back in the fall. We weren’t always at the top level, but we got everything we could in terms of points.”
This is the basis that makes many fans dream of a historic spring. Given the cup opener against Austria, league duels with Salzburg and Rapid as well as the Conference League duel with Slovan Bratislava, one can confidently speak of a trend-setting February.
Even if no one wants to hear it…
You have to see “each competition individually,” emphasizes Schicker. They want to be successful again in Klagenfurt in the cup, and in the European Cup “make more of two games. It would be a huge success if we progress against Slovan.”
And in the league?
Schicker avoids declarations of war towards the championship title. It’s still too early before the points are divided anyway: “Now it’s time to hoard points and then the decisive games await.”
They lost the same against Salzburg in the previous season. Nothing has changed in terms of the role of favorite for the Graz sports director:
“The fact is, even if no one wants to hear it: Salzburg is clearly the favorite for me again this year. We’ll see whether our team has taken a step towards getting closer in the decisive games.”
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2024-02-02 00:17:25
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