Leitner in an interview:

“Gunners have the basis for a successful future”

Gunners mastermind Horst Leitner.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The outgoing champion Horst Leitner reveals in the "Krone" why he is leaving the club after winning the title, what his personal highlights were in six years as head coach of the Oberwart basketball team and what he advises a successor.

Mr. Leitner - how long, how extensively, did you and your team celebrate the championship title?

I was back home after two days, but I'm not so sure about my players - but they deserved it.

What does this title mean to you personally?

At the end of the day, it's confirmation that if you persistently train Austrians, you can be successful even with a smaller budget.

Horst Leitner was head coach of the Oberwart basketball team for six years.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

You appeal to local players. Even if the legionnaires have delivered, those clubs that have a strong Austrian base usually become champions. That was the case with Oberwart's titles in 2011 and 2016, and it was no different for Güssing or Gmunden...

The legionnaires give you the skills you need - but not the identity. It has to be carried by your own team, they have to set the mood. There has to be a core. They don't necessarily have to be Austrians, but players who have been there for a long time and identify with the club, like Jason Johnson back then.

In the midst of the jubilation of the championship, you surprised everyone by announcing that you were leaving after six years as head coach - why?

Six years is a long time, there are a lot of processes involved. In the end, it became clear in January, when things weren't going well for us for various reasons, that the constellation was no longer ideal. We therefore mutually agreed that I would no longer continue - but I am leaving on good terms.

Munis Tutu (left) and Derrek Brooks were signed during the season.(Bild: Oberwart Gunners)

Were there already talks with potential candidates at the time?

If that was the case - okay. But the team and I always wanted to carry on, which wasn't all that bad in the end.

Let's briefly review the championship season for the "Krone".

There were two or three small things that were the key. Firstly, we made a mistake with a signing. Lamar was a good fit on a personal level, but physically he wasn't up to scratch - we just didn't have to swap two legionnaires. That caused unrest, and then there were all these injuries. But it was during this phase that our Austrians stood up and took responsibility. And from the qualifying round onwards, the system began to take effect.

Daniel Köppel (left) was a "bench player" in the final against Graz.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Your biggest successes and disappointments in six years as Gunners coach?

Apart from winning the cup and the league title, my highlights were the development of Käferle, Poljak, then Knessl and Patekar, and most recently Daniel and Flo Köppel as well as Abou-Ahmed - who would have thought a year ago that they would be winning us play-off games this year?

If the squad stays together, the foundations have been laid for a successful future in Oberwart.

Der scheidende Meistermacher Horst LEITNER

Does that mean the Gunners are in a good position?

In any case. If the squad stays together, the foundation for a successful future has been laid.

What will yours look like?

If I get a chance somewhere, I want to continue coaching. But Oberwart will always remain my home club.

A tip for your successor, who is already said to be in the pipeline?

Love the fans, like me. Oberwart = spectators. You simply can't do it without them.