[ad_1]
The dispute between WAC coach Ferdinand Feldhofer and Michael Liendl has escalated. Without their captain, the Carinthians were defeated in the semifinals against Lask after extra time 0: 1.
Wolfsberg / Vienna. The big bang came before the first cup semi-final between Wolfsberger AC and Lask on Wednesday night. With captain Michael Liendl, Michael Novak and Christopher Wernitznig, WAC coach Ferdinand Feldhofer eliminated three of the team’s best players. “Over a long period of time I realized that some of the players weren’t fully focused on what they were doing, maybe not 100 percent. So it is quite logical that it makes little sense to put these players on the bench ”, justified the 41-year-old coach before kickoff.
This scandal, of course, did not inspire the WAC team, in the fight for the first inning to the ÖFB Cup final, the Carinthians mostly hid behind. The Lask also seemed to inhibit the possibility of the first final participation in 22 years rather than inspire it. Linz’s team was the most active team, but the many bad passes kept the game from flowing. On two occasions Lask captain Gernot Trauner had good chances after corner kicks (11th, 39th), otherwise the game was terribly weak.
This performance really deserved it all, just there was no overtime. But that was exactly the case, because the 0-0 at 90 minutes is the logical consequence of the performances of both teams. And in the end it was not surprising that the decision was ultimately made from a set piece situation: WAC defender Jonathan Scherzer awkwardly collided with Reinhold Ranftl’s feet from behind in the penalty area. Philipp Wiesinger took the awarded penalty and chased it to the net (96th).
First final for Lask since 1999
With this, Lask will play for the second cup title in club history at the Wörthersee stadium in Klagenfurt on May 1. In 1965 the athletes achieved their only triumph so far, at that time they sat against Wr. Neustadt (1: 0, 0: 0) until. The other four finals (1963, 1967, 1970, 1999) each resulted in losses.
The WAC also said goodbye to the Cup a week after the Europa League loss to Tottenham. One can only speculate if the trio would have gone better. In any case, the relationship between Liendl and Feldhofer had long been considered strained, the WAC captain was unhappy with the reduced operating times due to rotation. The 35-year-old was in the starting lineup just once in the last five league games and over the weekend saw his team lose ground after a 1-0 loss to Altach.
As fifth in the table, the WAC is still on the course of the championship in the Bundesliga, but the lead over Hartberg (seventh) and Austria (Austria) has been reduced to just two and three points, respectively, three rounds before it divide the points.
WAC president wants to mediate
The latest escalation is unlikely to favor the team’s atmosphere for decisive games. In final training for the cup game, there should have been discussions again on Tuesday, with the individual players then leaving it prematurely. “There is a lot of discomfort, it cannot be denied,” admitted WAC President Dietmar Riegler in an interview with ORF during the halftime break. He himself has spoken a lot with the coach and player in recent days, in general he maintains a close relationship with the latter and is always open to his problems. Therefore, he also knows the problems between Liendl and Feldhofer. “They have both worked and achieved a lot.”
However, no one was helped with these disputes before the highlight of the cup, so Riegler tries to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. “It’s a bad thing for us and we have to fix it in the next few days. I will try to probe it, ”emphasized Riegler, who is trying to find a solution. “We have to see how everything goes. You cannot leave it like this, you have to act ”, emphasized the president of the WAC.
At Feldhofer, as at Liendl, the contract expires at the end of the season and, given recent events, a common future at WAC no longer seems conceivable. However, WAC President Riegler did not want to give up hope for a solution. “We will analyze if something can be cemented and then we will make a decision.”
(swi)
