Admira's Silberberger

“Austria could have come knocking this year”

The Bundesliga is Admira's goal, and Thomas Silberberger is rolling up his sleeves to achieve it.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Armin Rauthner)

He led WSG Tirol from the regional league to the Bundesliga in eleven years, on June 24 Thomas Silberberger takes over second division club Admira with the aim of promotion - before that, the 51-year-old spoke to the "Krone" about impulses, coaching cemeteries and Viennese lures.

After eleven years, you drew a line under WSG - why did you do that?

I needed a new impetus. I lacked a perspective - with a small budget, no stadium of my own and a relegation battle.

Will it now be twelve years at Admira?

(laughs) We didn't agree an eternal contract term. But before WSG, I was at Kufstein for six years.

However, Admira has "used up" ten head coaches in the last five years

I'm aware of that, but it's the same everywhere.

Thomas Pratl and Tommy Wright were the last to go. Should they both stay?

 I've had very good talks with both of them, I can well imagine them as assistant coaches. But they'll have to think about it carefully because there's no going back during the season.

Admira finished fourth in the second half of the season under the two of them - what could be better?

The boys have done well. The question is: What do we want? If you look at the transfers, Admira is aiming for the Bundesliga. The transfers, sporting director Peter Stöger, technical director Ralf Muhr and I, where there is a lot of experience up front, show that.

Admira were solid in defense last season, but lacked up front. That's why the strikers Deni Alar and Lukas Brückler have already been brought in - was that already agreed?

To date, no transfer has been agreed with me. But in the talks with Ralf and Peter, the goal was clear: to play right up front! That means playing with two strikers.

After your vacation, you move to Vienna. What if a big Viennese club comes knocking?

Austria could have come knocking this year if they had wanted to. But: I'm 100 percent Admiran, I stand for handshake quality. I can still have 150 Bundesliga games with Admira.