Image: photo erhardt
A new chapter in Wels football history was opened on Wednesday. Sports consultant and Deputy Mayor Gerhard Kroiß (FP) called it one “small step for catfish, but one big step for football”. Of a “historical event” said the mayor of Wels, Andreas Rabl (FP), at a press conference in which the syndicate of WSC Hertha and FC Wels was announced. And he set the same high goals by the “Mission Bundesliga” exclaimed – that a Wels team should be promoted to the highest league in the long term.
For more than a year, the two Wels clubs and city politicians had been struggling to come to an agreement on joint youth work. FC and WSC have now signed contracts for even more extensive cooperation: In addition to a football academy for youngsters, there will be two joint combat teams in the regional and Upper Austria leagues.
Cooperation from the U14
Both clubs remain economically and legally independent. Youth work up to U13 is also separated – after that the joint football academy begins, which is designed for 110 players aged 14 to 18. “We leave the youth players who don’t make it to the academy, but not alone. You should start with other clubs in the area”says FC chairman Juan Bohensky.
The overall level of football in Wels should rise as a result of the professionalized training. This is to prevent talented youngsters from moving to other clubs in Linz, Ried or Salzburg in the future. The long-term goal is to re-establish a Bundesliga team in Wels. “That would certainly be a highlight for the Wels fans”says Deputy Mayor Kroiss.
Exploratory matches for the football academy will be held soon to select the future players. The joint combat teams and the academy will start in the fall – the latter still as “dry run”. From 2024/25, the academy should then be officially registered with the ÖFB, from then on it will also be possible to take advantage of federal, state and association funding.
Harun Sulimani, who is already the sporting director of the WSC, is to fill this role for both teams in the future. “He will put together the teams in consultation with both board members”says WSC chairman Roland Golger. “Players can switch back and forth between teams. For example, they can gain experience in the Upper Austria League. If someone excels in the fourth division, they can move to the third”says Goger.
Moving for the huskies
Training for the youth academy and the combat teams takes place at the FC Wels facility in Wimpassing. The appropriate infrastructure is already in place there.
In the future, WSC Hertha will therefore only use its previous home, the Mauth sports facility, for the training of the junior classes Bambinis up to U13. This means that there is sufficient capacity for the “huskies” created, the Wels football team. Their games, which regularly attract more than 1000 spectators, are currently taking place in Gunskirchen. However, the playing field will no longer be available from autumn. “It was always important to me that the Huskies, who are very successful, also have a decent playing field”says Deputy Mayor Kroiss.
SP, VP and the Greens welcomed the agreement and the better use of the city’s sports facilities yesterday.
Source: Nachrichten
