Next Sunday, SV Guntamatic Ried will start the 2024/2025 season with a cup match against the Vorarlberg third division team Röthis. For the first time since the 2008/2009 season, Marcel Ziegl is missing from the squad. The 31-year-old former captain ended his career in the summer, as reported. After several persistent injuries, his body was no longer up to the task. Ziegl played only for the Innviertler team in his entire professional career (351 competitive matches).
On May 25th, in the final round of last season against Dornbirn, he stood on the pitch of the Innviertel Arena for the last time for a few minutes. At his farewell game, the captain was given a fitting farewell, with the fans presenting a large choreography. “The farewell was emotional and stirring. I had tears in my eyes even before kick-off. I am overwhelmed and grateful for what the fans, team and club have done for me,” said Ziegl immediately after his last game in the Ried jersey.
At the end of June, it was announced that Ziegl would become part of the coaching team of the regional league club USV Neuhofen. There, he was in charge of the team’s sporting fortunes together with another former SVR captain, Thomas Reifeltshammer, and Markus Friedwagner.
Ziegl will not take on any role for SV Ried. Things sounded different when it was announced that he was retiring in April. “SV Ried does not want to do without the services of our long-time captain in the future, so we are currently in talks about a major project in the region that Marcel will be responsible for,” sports director Wolfgang Fiala was quoted as saying on the SVR website on April 26. Ziegl himself said at the time that he could imagine many things. He was in contact with the club and there were good and constructive discussions.
President Thomas Gahleitner said in response to an OÖN query that he had made Ziegl an attractive offer. Ziegl initially accepted it verbally, but at the end of the day he did not take it up. “They would have been great projects. We wanted to give Marcel Ziegl the chance to develop within the club. If he wants to do something else, I have to accept that, I can’t force anyone. We would have been happy because it would have been a great thing, I’m convinced of that,” said Gahleitner.
“I have not decided against the club in any way, but I want to be very clear about what exactly I want to do in the future. I am also currently working on getting myself physically fit again,” says Ziegl, who is fully enjoying his role as part of the Neuhofen coaching team: “I really like it and it’s a lot of fun.”
“You often see each other twice”
Ziegl, who particularly highlighted the constructive discussions with sporting director Wolfgang Fiala, does not rule out a return to his “heart’s club”. “I have played for SVR for more than half of my life so far. You often see each other twice in life.”
Video: Detailed interview with Marcel Ziegl about his retirement
My themes
For your bookmarked topics
new articles found.
info By clicking on the icon you add the keyword to your topics.
info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. You have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.
info By clicking on the icon you remove the keyword from your topics.
Add the topic to your topics.
Source: Nachrichten
