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Wiener Austria is again preparing for a savings budget with little room for maneuver. On the brink of maiden qualifying group victory over Altach (2-0) on Saturday, the Bundesliga club confirmed the “precautionary dismissal” of sports sector employees in June. The employees of the head of the professional department, Ralf Muhr, are hit down.
“It goes straight to the academy. They are all coaches, all my staff. That affects ten to fifteen people,” explained Peter Stöger. The General Manager of Austria emphasized that this is something common in the industry. In any case, this does not amount to a “wave of layoffs”. Employees can also be reinstated, for example if Stöger extends his coach and sports director contract, which expires at the end of the season, or if the current management at the club is maintained. At the same time as Stöger, the contracts of all assistant coaches also end in the summer.
The decisions made are intended to make things easier for a potential new sports leadership. “Then someone else comes along and has the opportunity to prepare the house from below both in terms of cost and personnel as he thinks is good,” said Stöger. A backpack with such a heavy budget, which he himself had found upon his return in the form of regular salaries for people who no longer needed, should not have to be carried on the shoulder by potential successors. “Now the house is clean in the summer and you can make decisions.”
With current knowledge, the balancing act between Austria’s desired sporting goals – the new “strategic partner” Insignia was aiming to return to the European stage at launch a month ago – is not manageable, according to Stöger. “At the moment, I have to say I can’t do it,” the 55-year-old said on Sky before the game. “If it weren’t for my club, at some point I would have given up what I have never done in a season.”
Austrian board member Markus Kraetschmer emphasized that the Insignia Group, known for its luxury lifestyle products, has meticulously met all obligations. “It was always clear that the first funds would flow in April, but not the first, second or third of April yet.” It is more important to be clear about what economic opportunities Austria has with regard to the 2021/22 season. We are working on it. “From this comes the budget, which is very important for Peter Stöger’s planning as sporting director, who is expected to stick around next season,” Kraetschmer said.
The future of the manager is also open. “I have a specific offer that I want to talk to the president about again,” Kraetschmer said. According to media reports, he should have been offered a contract extension in a changed position for one year. Kraetschmer, who has been in Austria for 23 years, wants a three-year extension.
