Fit for the Bundesliga

GAK are already making concrete plans for the new adventure

Thorsten Schriebl wants to play regular derbies with GAK against Sturm.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

With their third consecutive spring win at home against Vienna on Friday (20), second division dominators GAK are looking to continue their assault on the Bundesliga. The Red Jackets have already worked hard on their squad. The next piece of the puzzle should follow soon.

Captain Perchtold has to miss out with the flu, but Markus Rusek is celebrating his comeback - as another stabilizer alongside Thorsten Schriebl, about whom sporting director Didi Elsneg says: "A complete player with lots of ball contact, calm on the ball, strong in winning the ball, good with standards. A modern six-man who reminds me of Xaver Schlager. He has also developed enormously physically." According to reports, Schriebl's extension is only a formality. This would be the next piece of the puzzle in the "Bundesliga picture" at GAK, which has already tied 14 players to the club for the next one or two years.

The 25-year-old Schriebl from Oberwart, who has Zlatko Junuzovic as a role model and, like Jovicic and Lichtenberger, came from Lafnitz, is really enjoying soccer at the moment: "After the six-point start to the spring, I'd be lying if I said we weren't enjoying it."

GAK is planning for the long term with this personnel.(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com, GEPA pictures/Mario Buehner)

Nevertheless, he warns against Vienna: "They have a lot of individual class with Monschein, Ochs and Peham, and we know very well that anyone can beat anyone in the second division. But we are prepared." However, Schriebl does not want to allow two goals from former team-mate Peham like in the 3:2 win in the first clash: "We know that he is good, but the only congratulations he will receive from us will be for his 32nd birthday last week."

"Better to be 13 points ahead"
Even with a 13-point lead, the Reds want to stay pretty on the carpet: "Anything is possible in soccer and even big leads can be squandered. But we'd rather be 13 points ahead than 13 behind."

Schriebl smiles about a possible new contract: "I'm pleased that I've really got going again after the long injury (note: knee). I feel very comfortable in Graz and it's no secret that I want to play in the Bundesliga with GAK. That's important for the city, for the club, for the fans and for me."