Before the spring kick-off

Reform idea to make the regional league more attractive

(Bild: Sobe Hermann)

The Central Regional Football League starts its spring season on Friday.Carinthia once had six clubs in the third-highest division, today there are only two. A reform idea is now set to change that. . .

The unpopular regional league. When ATUS Ferlach were promoted to the regional league in the 2015/16 Carinthian League season as champions, the uproar was huge. The KFV reacted - and introduced mandatory promotion in 2017/18. As a result, '21/22 Dellach/Gail had to be relegated despite winning the title - simply because they didn't want to go up. The height of embarrassment: When Spittal was promoted in tenth place (!) in the Corona break-off season (in which the promotion obligation was suspended) - because nobody else wanted to go up again. . .

Since the 2015/16 season, Carinthia has never had more than a maximum of three clubs in the third-highest division - actually an indictment. The southernmost province once had six representatives! The last time was in 2008/09 - albeit with WAC and FC Kärnten as well as Spittal, Feldkirchen, SAK and St. Veit.

Nsandi (center) and ASK, like the WAC Amateurs, are in the relegation battle.(Bild: Sobe)

And today? With fourth-last ASK and bottom-placed WAC Amateure only two clubs at risk of relegation, Carinthian clubs are miles away from the 2nd division - while the Upper Austrians and Styrians dominate the "middle" with seven clubs each.

Regionalliga Mitte, 16th round

Friday: Hertha/FC Wels - WAC Amateure (19, Lamb), Deutschlandsberg - Allerheiligen (19, Krainer), LASK/OÖ Amateure - Steyr (19, Hubinger), Wallern - Bad Gleichenberg (19, Treffer), Weiz - Voitsberg (19, Ofner). Saturday: Ried Amateure - Gleisdorf (15, Edis Skalic), Gurten - ASK (15.30, Schweiger), St. Anna - Vöcklamarkt (17, Th. Wieser).

"East, west, north and south"
Carinthia's regional league representative Silvo Kumer claims to have found the solution to the problem: A four-way division into east, west, north and south. "A twelve-team league with six Carinthian and six Styrian clubs - I've spoken to our clubs and they would be in favor of it. Upper Austria also supports this measure!"

A four-way division into East, West, North and South. "A twelve-team league with six Carinthian and six Styrian clubs - I've spoken to our clubs and they would be in favor of it.

Silvio Kumer

ASK boss "Mothe" Dollinger says: "This idea is great!" Carinthian League leaders Treibach think it's just as good. "In sporting terms, three provinces are more attractive, but economically two would be better. Because if we were promoted, we would have 30 percent more bus costs this year than in our regional league season last year," sighs head of sport Stefan Weitensfelder.

And ÖFB boss Klaus Mitterdorfer says: "If the majority want a different format, it should be discussed."