Schmid under pressure

Will Altach be the last stop for WAC coach again?

Manfred Schmid(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Matthias Trinkl)

Last exit Altach? Let's see! If WAC deliver a similarly desolate performance today as they did recently, coach Manfred Schmid could be history. Boakye is out, the fit Leitgeb and Bonmann were not included in the squad - but strangely enough, a lot of youngsters are missing in the relegation battle. . .

Lustenau kept their theoretical chance of staying in the league alive with a 2-0 win against Austria Vienna. . .

And WAC? Will the Ländle, will Altach also be the place of destiny for the Wolves and head coach Manni Schmid this Saturday? The fact is that they are hanging on by a thread: Only one win in the seven games of the qualifying round so far (over the clear bottom team Lustenau!), a total of only one "three-pointer" in the last nine point games, the mood at rock bottom, the relationship between Schmid and a number of experienced players anything but refreshing - if there is a similarly miserable performance today as against Blau-Weiß Linz, absolutely nothing can be ruled out.

And: Altach have already played out their coaching destiny once before. After a 1:2 on November 21, 2015, Didi Kühbauer's successful era (with a first-time lead in the table, European Cup qualification, etc.) was history two days later.

Dietmar Riegler(Bild: F. Pessentheiner)

"Don't want to play hide and seek"
Club boss Dietmar Riegler, who was traveling near Milan on business yesterday, then drove on to the Ländle with his Waltraud, so he is there in person today. Not to put the rod in Schmid's window - "I see it as a motivational boost for the team. I want to see a completely different face than last time, I want to see an active, courageous performance from everyone, not a game of hide-and-seek."

WAC amateurs must get out of the basement
And the coaching question? "I'm not announcing anything. Anyone who knows me knows that I make such decisions quickly and spontaneously when necessary." What he also emphasized? "That we absolutely want to stay in the regional league with the amateurs." And then Schmid took numerous youngsters with him to Altach ahead of tomorrow's derby at ASK Klagenfurt. .

Leitgeb and Bonmann not in the squad
WAC captain Mario Leitgeb is not in the squad at all. The veteran has started four of the last five games. Coach Manfred Schmid also surprisingly left goalkeeper Hendrik Bonmann at home - even though he is equally fit. For the German, "two-man" David Skubl moves into the squad, which this time comprises 20 men.

Youngsters come home too late
Skubl will be joined by Tobias Gruber, Maxi Scharfetter, Pascal Müller and Michael Morgenstern. However, this is probably a weakening for the amateurs in the relegation battle for the regional league derby at ASK Klagenfurt on Sunday (at 10.30am!) - especially as the "Wolves" don't arrive back in Klagenfurt until around 3am on Sunday. So the morning game is unlikely to be an option. Leitgeb and Bonmann are currently not expected to play for the amateurs. Novak (sick) is questionable.

Boakye is missing
Offensive ace Augustine Boakye was only included as the 20th man - the guarantor of victory only trained in the weight room yesterday and has muscular problems again. Sabitzer, who has not been in the squad recently, is back in the offense. Rieder (hamstring) is still out.

Chikbuike Nwaiwu (right) was tested by the WAC in winter - the signing is said to be through.(Bild: Pessentheiner)

New signing probably fixed
Apart from that, the signing of defensive midfielder Chibuike Nwaiwu (Nig) is said to be a done deal.