Silberberger's farewell

“I won’t miss the Tivoli Stadium”

Thomas Silberberger: Coaching in front of empty stands.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

WSG Tirol's last home game of the season against Altach on Saturday at 5pm - and therefore also the Tivoli farewell for outgoing coach Thomas Silberberger! With a tribute to him and - without a single tear.

Thomas Silberberger will be on the sidelines of the Tivoli Stadium as head coach of WSG Tirol for the 78th time on Saturday at 5pm. For the 78th and last time.

The love for the arena in the Tyrolean capital, which was opened in September 2000, will not be great at the last home game either.

Only one visitor
WSG from Wattens were only forced to move to Innsbruck because their own Gernot Lange Stadium had too few covered seats and no pitch heating. And the club from the Swarovski metropolis never felt at home in the distant Tivoli Stadium. More like a visitor, a stranger, a patient. This was also due to the consistently modest attendance figures at home matches. There was very little enthusiasm for the WSG.

A rare moment of euphoria at the Tivoli: after the 2:1 win in the European Cup qualifiers.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer / Kronenzeitung)

"Honestly," says Silberberger after eleven years as WSG coach before his Tivoli final against Altach, "honestly: I'll miss a hell of a lot without this club. But the Tivoli is not very high up on that list. Maybe I'll come back as an opposing coach at some point - and there will be a completely different feeling. I hope so."

"I'm looking forward to the end"
The 50-year-old is not (yet) plagued by sentimentality in any way: "Not at all. But I also want to bring this to a professional conclusion. It suits me very much that I can hand over my life's work in the Bundesliga. The decision to step down as coach has taken a lot of weight off my shoulders. Now I'm looking forward to the end."

This relationship with the Tivoli Stadium is nothing new, I won't miss it much. I'll only come back as an opposing coach or for a cool concert.

WSG-Trainer Thomas Silberberger

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