Hartberg's coach:

“I see change as a new opportunity”

Unlucky Max Entrup (l.) was comforted by James Holland after the 0:1 against Austria.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Without a European Cup, Hartberg are facing a radical change in the Bundesliga. But the TSV coach takes it positively.

Lights out in Hartberg - the great season ended for the fifth-placed team without the icing on the cake. Eighth-placed Austria are playing in the European Cup. That hurt captain Jürgen Heil, who traveled with the squad on a short trip to Mallorca yesterday: "If we had played internationally, we would have remembered this outstanding season, but now we can't buy anything for it. Unfortunately, that's the way it is. It's like playing the lottery to get into the European Cup. The league should think about that."

"It wasn't meant to be," sighed chairman Erich Korherr, who was less pained by missing out on the international competition than the lack of international attention.

Elias Scherf returns home from Amstetten to Hartberg.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Markus Schopp starts the new season on June 27: Dominik Frieser (who terminated his contract due to insufficient playing time) is gone, U21 team goalie Scherf is definitely coming home from Amstetten: "Elias is a Hartberger," says Korherr, "has developed well, is good at soccer. We are already excited to see how he will match up against Raphael Sallinger."

In the case of Max Entrup, the European Championship is being awaited for a transfer, while Manuel Pfeifer is waiting for an official offer from the forward. "After the great spring, I could well imagine Mamadou Sangare at Salzburg," says Korherr about Mali's Olympic player.

Talks are ongoing with Diakite, and there is external interest in Sallinger, Komposch, Avdijaj, Providence and Bowat. One thing is certain for Markus Schopp, who already has a number of players up his sleeve: "Hartberg will start the new season under me. I see the upcoming changes as a new opportunity!"