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Statistically speaking, there is no such thing as a coach effect. Damir Canadi offers practical counter-evidence: The 50-year-old was in office for four days when his Altachers won 1-0 at Wolfsberg last Sunday. The main objective on the way to avoid the descent is to stabilize the defense. “The ship has to stop shaking before we can head in the right direction,” says Canadi, who successfully cared for Altach between 2013 and 2016. After moving abroad at 1.FC Nuremberg and twice at Atromitos Athens , Canada has returned to Austria. While the Viennese was voted “Coach of the Year” in Greece in 2018, his second term in Athens ended with his dismissal in early February. In an interview with the “Wiener Zeitung”, Canadi speaks before the home game against LASK (Saturday, 5:00 pm) about why he signed in Altach, what has already changed and what decisions will be accepted in times of the pandemic.
“Wiener Zeitung”: Mr. Canadi, at first there was an immediate victory. What has changed in the short term?
Damir Canadi: I don’t know if I have already contributed so much. Above all, we talk to the players. The team has scored a lot of goals lately, so we set out to stay stable and play at zero. That was quite a success. In the first game we had the advantage that the rivals couldn’t analyze us beforehand. Now it’s different against LASK.
You are back in Altach after more than four years. It will be difficult to be as successful again as the first time. Why are you doing this to yourself?
The club asked me for help in a difficult situation. The timing was perfect after the launch shortly before in Athens. For me it is also an opportunity to give something back to the club. I really started my career at Altach. Now our short-term goal is to stay in the league.
He was barely able to see his family recently due to travel restrictions. Is that why you returned to Austria?
Yes, Corona also played a role here. Some factors combined well.
You already mentioned the end of Atromitos. Why did the collaboration end?
Atromitos has an important role in my career. Both parties have mutually benefited. The second era was a little different. In Greece, you are financially highly dependent on the president. And the business did not go as expected, probably also due to the pandemic. As a result, the transfers were not as good as in the past. And the mood of the president was also different. Unfortunately, the separation was then decided on excitement, although the team was changing.
“I see the new tiebreaker mode very positively because it will continue to be exciting for a long time thanks to the splitting of points.”
With Atromitos he has consistently achieved remarkable results against favorites like PAOK Saloniki or AEK Athens. But there were often disappointments against smaller teams. What do you attribute that to?
After the renewal in the winter break, we also achieved better results against smaller clubs. I built more and more on my own young players who performed well. However, short-term results were rated higher. The president is mainly focused on money, and if he pays the players who cost more, then they have to play. Unfortunately, after my departure, now everything has collapsed if you look at the results.
How has the Austrian league changed during your years abroad?
I see the new play-off mode as very positive because it will continue to be exciting for a long time thanks to the splitting of points. It is never decided at an early stage who will be relegated, who will make it to the European Cup or who will become champion. The league has also developed very well at the sporting level. LASK and WAC can surprise in the European Cup. Red Bull Salzburg contributed greatly to this performance increase, also with the players on loan.
In Altach, a lot has happened in terms of infrastructure with the renovation of the stadium during his absence.
The club has taken a giant leap. You have to accept it, otherwise you have no long-term chance. There is a lot of potential here for good further development. The stadium is partially ready for the European Cup and will be fully ready soon.
Is your long-term goal going to the Europa League with Altach?
Developing the team in this direction would be a great dream. Why not? The WAC and Hartberg prove it. At the moment we are still a long way from that. Now the only goal is to stay in the league.
You have taken your Spanish company from Atromitos, Manu Hervas, with you. What does he bring?
Assumes a lot of responsibility, oversees the management and organization of the training. He does it very well. Manu is a young aspiring coach who lives one hundred percent for football. That works fine because I work the same way. He contributes a lot in the offensive and playful area. The Spanish soccer school has shaped it. In the tactical area, it is a decision made by the boss, but there are things that I also like to give away.
“These decisions are somewhat dubious. The pandemic is prompting such measures to be taken. This development is difficult to understand, but it seems the only way forward.”
More recently, Altach has focused on buying old stars like Sidney Sam, Chinedu Obasi, and Neven Subotic. How does the roster fit in with your philosophy?
In principle, that does not bother me, but the names are not decisive. The only thing that counts is performance. This applies to all players, regardless of where someone has been in their career. We need a good mix. Each team has different roles and players like Obasi or Subotic can help develop young players.
You have always been very involved in team planning. Will you change a lot in summer?
Of course, team planning runs parallel to the battle for relegation. The template is very large, perhaps even too large. The deliberations begin now so that we can make the right decisions this summer.
He is returning to a time when fans are unable to enter stadiums due to the Corona crisis. How are you doing with that?
We would all like the fans to be in the stadiums. The atmosphere is missing. But we are also happy that we are allowed to play soccer. Of course, I can see how much the fans want them to be back in the stadium. Hopefully it’s ready in summer.
Amid the pandemic, European Cup matches are played between English and Portuguese teams in Greece, and the WAC has hosted Tottenham in Budapest. Has the football business finally lost touch with reality without contact with the fans?
Yes, these decisions are dubious in a way. The pandemic is prompting these steps to be taken. This development is difficult to understand, but it seems to be the only way to carry these competitions to the end. It’s not much fun, but we accept it.
In 2004, as a fourth division coach, he set himself the goal of wanting to be in the Bundesliga within ten years, which he achieved with Altach’s promotion in 2014. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Planning is difficult in soccer, but my goal is to train the best possible teams. The present is the Austrian Bundesliga. Hopefully we can hold the league and then we’ll see how it goes from here. It would be good to coach teams that play in international competitions. It depends on your own performance if you get there and how. The coach needs the success of the team in order to break through.
