In two days, the Upper Austrian regional league teams WSC/Hertha, Gurten, Vöcklamarkt and the amateur teams from Ried and LASK kick off the new season. Much more explosive than the start of the third division are the reform plans, which the OÖN reported exclusively for the first time almost a month ago. Four instead of three regional leagues, Upper Austria with Salzburg instead of Styria and Carinthia and a play-off with two promoted teams – these are the cornerstones.
Relatively little has happened since then. Which means: With the third division kick-off on Friday, any changes will be postponed by at least one year – which does not make a possible reform any easier. Because a revolution in the third-highest division should have been fixed before the start of the new season in order to apply to the following 2023/2024 season. Since this would also affect promotion and relegation, it is practically impossible to push through a reform for the following season during one season.
It is obvious why the associations have wasted valuable time again: resistance to a regional league reform is said to have increased again recently. Upper Austria’s football association president Gerhard Götschhofer cryptically: “Upper Austria pushed this issue the loudest – regardless of whether it was the media, clubs or the association. But I don’t have the approval from other federal states.”
meeting in August
Upper Austria’s association boss is one of the few who cares about adapting the regional league – which is why he wants to stay on the ball in this case: “I’m aiming for August to meet the six associations that would be affected.” As is well known, the Regionalliga Ost with representatives from Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland should remain unchanged. Götschhofer: “It’s about coming up with ideas, every association should take a clear position on this.”
WSC Hogo Hertha
After missing out on promotion, the Wels team are starting the new season with a reduced budget. This is noticeable in the transfers: Above all, young people with high development potential came.
To: Galiano (Esp, Las Rozas), H. Huber (Blau-Weiß Linz), Mayr (LASK Amateure OÖ), Cirkic (Vöcklamarkt), Oberwinkler (Spittal), Ph. Albinger (Steyr, Leihe, most recently Dietach), Latifi (Bad Schallerbach), Piermayr, Zümrüt, Awuni (Gha, all FC Wels), Noremkov (Ukr, Sattledt), Verhovsek (Slo, Bad Waltersdorf), Nagy (Hun, Szombathely)
Away: Brass (Blau-Weiß Linz, on loan, to LASK Amateure OÖ), Hofstätter (Steyr, on loan, to Bad Schallerbach), J. Gruber (GAK), Maier, Fröschl, Frank, Mayer (all Bad Schallerbach), Eminazari, Stuchlik (both Blau-Weiss-Linz amateurs), Jozic (Sui)
wish elf: Duna; Galiano, Kukic, Awuni; Gasperlmair, Mislov, Cirkic, Norenkov; Stadlmann, Ried, A. Hodzic
U. Raiffeisen Gurten
After the strong third place of the previous season, the Innviertler are going into the new season almost unchanged. Four departures face five arrivals. The club remained true to its transfer policy: With Severin Hingsamer and Lukas Schlosser, the good relations with Bundesliga club SV Ried were allowed to play again.
To: Schlosser (Ried, most recently Burghausen), Hingsamer (Young Viking Ried), Stahler (D, Dasing), Dominik (Braunau/Ranshofen), Sickinger (Hohenzell)
Away: Przybylko (Pol, Vöcklamarkt), Brozik (Cze, St. Martin/M.), Miletic (Bih, SK Schärding), Colic (Andorf)
wish elf: F.Wimmer; Öhlböck, Th. Reiter, Schnaitter, L. Moser; J Horner, Schott; Zirnitzer, J. Kreuzer, Wimmleitner; locksmith
U. Volksbank Vöcklamarkt
The Hausruckviertel, who finished sixth last season, have set themselves an ambitious goal: in the future, half of the squad should come from their own youth. With Jacub Przybylko, who has already proven his goalscoring quality at league rivals Gurten, a strong replacement for Franko Knez, who had been injured for a long time, was found in the transfer finish.
To: Przybylko (Pol, Gurten), U. Gruber (A. Salzburg), Fürstaller (Saalfelden)
Away: Cirkic (WSC Hertha), Hitzl (Strasswalchen)
wish elf: W. Schober; Rohrstorfer, D. Pointner, S. Würtinger, Purkrabek; boar Lipczinksi, B. Taferner, Fürstaller, Vojvoda; Przybylko
Young Viking Ried
Talents from the academy should increasingly make the leap to the professionals again. With Maximilian Senft, a young, exciting coach was brought in: The 32-year-old Viennese has already gained professional experience at Wiener Austria, Wolfsberg and the English second division club Barnsley.
To: Coco (Young Violets, after loan), Zotter (Sturm II), Steinmann (Peuerbach), Hochreiter, Leodolter, Krizek, Noss, Straif, Madritsch, F. Rossdorfer, Peric (Cro), Aliji (Mkd, all Akademie Ried)
Away: Hingsamer (Gurten), J. Huber (Anif), Pointner (Drassburg), Voglmaier (Golling), J. Rossdorfer (D, Schalding)
wish elf: P Moser; Erhard, J Baumgartner, N Wiesinger; Ratzinger, J Mayer, Madritsch, Birglehner; Beganovic, Ungerath, Akrap
LASK amateurs OÖ
From the second division relegated FC Juniors OÖ practically only the OÖ remained in the name: The LASK re-established itself as part of a syndicate with its own amateur team. Coach Patrick Enengl should develop the talents for higher tasks, in the medium term the 2nd league is the goal.
To: Plojer (Blau-Weiß Linz, after a loan), Martic (Innsbruck), Messing (WSC Hertha), Braun, Eisschill, Gierlinger, Haider, Haskic, Ramskogler, Rechberger, Sams, Stadler, Wimhofer (all LASK Academy Upper Austria), Killinger ( Academy Salzburg), Prosic (AKA Tirol)
away: Sulzner (Vienna, loan), Drame (Sen, Young Violets), Weixelbraun, Kapsamer (cooperation player Amstetten), Oelz (liefering), A. Mayr (WSC Hertha)
wish elf: Pad; Würdinger, Philipsky, S. Wimmer, Softic, Wild; Valencia, Haas, Radulovic; Siverio, Michlmayr
Source: Nachrichten
