"Krone" column

Increased appeal and quality

The goal of newly promoted Kuchl: to have nothing to do with relegation.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

The new Westliga season promises to be very exciting. New teams and numerous reinforcements have made the league more attractive. In the "Krone" column "Übersteiger", editor Philip Kirchtag analyzes.

Finally the leather is rolling again in Salzburg's lower house! Five leagues kick off this weekend. One of them is the Westliga, in which the home province is represented by six teams. And one prediction up front: Salzburg will once again be crowned champions of the highest amateur division in the west this year. Anything other than a champion named Austria Salzburg would be a big surprise. Although the Violets lost a number of key players in the summer, they were able to replace them well with well-known newcomers.

However, not only Maxglaner, but also Bischofshofen, FC Pinzgau and Grünau can be expected to play a good role again. Normally, this trio will have nothing to do with relegation. This must also be the declared goal of St. Johann and promoted Kuchl.

However, this will not be an easy task, as the Westliga has become more attractive (prominent names have been added in the form of former second division side FC Dornbirn and Kitzbühel) and above all in terms of quality - many teams have upgraded. And there will no longer be any so-called "cannon fodder" like last season, when some clubs even wanted to be relegated. As a result, tension is guaranteed right from the start in the basement of the table. Let's hope that Salzburg's representatives can keep as far away from the ominous line as possible.