Forward Steyr: Ziric now scores goals instead of preventing them

The Welsh football star Gareth Bale was a defender at the beginning of his career before he was converted into a winger at Tottenham – and subsequently one of the best offensive kickers in the world. A new position was also found for Milan Ziric at regional league team Vorwärts Steyr in the winter: instead of preventing goals, the long-time defender slipped into the role of goalscorer. With success: In the 3-2 win against Bad Gleichenberg, the 24-year-old was named man of the game in his new role with two goals. “We had the idea back in the fall to try him out in attack. There was always the insult that he was allowed to go forward if he did his job well at the back,” says forward coach Markus Eitl with a smile.

Fun became serious: Ziric has been at the forefront since the spring season. Eitl: “It’s important to think ‘out of the box’.” With his brace in the most recent game, Ziric repaid the trust. “He’s doing really well for us on the nine right now and is getting better every week.” The tall Steyr player (2.05 meters) is not the only kicker for whom Eitl has found a new position: the original six-man Mirsad Sulejmanovic also plays more offensively under Eitl and acts behind solo leader Ziric and has already scored five times so far this season . “We have also found a good position for Mirsad.”

Challenge for top scorers

While the duo is thriving in their new roles, the current phase is not easy for another forward kicker: Hamza Ech Cheikh, still Steyr’s top goalscorer with seven goals, had to go to the bench instead of Ziric. “The nature of a striker is that you don’t like it when you’re sitting on the bench. For Hamza, of course, it’s a challenge, but I don’t give away fixed places,” says Eitl. One thing is clear: If neo-striker Ziric can maintain his form, he will probably continue to cause problems for the opposing defenders – instead of keeping the opponents away from his own goal.