Club moves closer together

St. Johann is a unit on the pitch and in the canteen

In St. Johann, everyone is pulling in the same direction.(Bild: zVg)

St. Johann has the best defense in the Western League along with league leader Imst.At the same time, the team from Pongau is working on bringing the club closer together again and has taken over the canteen without further ado.

Together we are strong - that has been St. Johann's motto for many years. Even under Ernst Lottermoser, the Pongau team presented itself as a real unit. This has not changed under coach Andreas Scherer and is particularly noticeable in the defense. After seven games, St. Johann have only conceded three goals - top of the league with leaders Imst. "Our first goal is not to concede any goals," explains captain Benjamin Ajibade. But it can be more up front. Florian Ellmer and Co. have only scored five times this year. "It's good that there's still room for improvement. It would be worrying if we had no chances at all," says Scherer. Away from the pitch, the St. Johanners are also showing how cohesion works. Because the old tenant left after two years, the canteen was free again.

New arrival Branko Ojdanic is already actively helping out.(Bild: zVg)

(Bild: zVg)

Injured man at the barbecue
"The team council has said that it would like to put it into operation," explains president Sepp Klingler. Ajibade and Co. subsequently spruced up the canteen and are in charge during home games. Parents and friends, but also injured players, help out. For example, Kadir Özkan (cruciate ligament rupture) was at the grill during the 1-0 win against Kufstein on Saturday. The old canteen manager Ingrid Toferer helps organize in the background. "Our intention was to move closer together as a team and club," says Ajibade. 

They also want to break new ground when it comes to spectators. "There's a lot on offer in the area. You have to make sure that people come to you," says the captain. As part of the Westliga match against Hohenems on October 5, the footballers are organizing an Oktoberfest - including free beer for all guests in lederhosen. Coach Scherer has a lot of respect for the cohesion of his team: "The squad is so tight-knit and has a hard core. That's remarkable. I think it's really cool." One thing is certain: this is not a long-term solution for the canteen. But if it continues to work so well on two tracks, they will probably have to reconsider.