New coach Schmid

Hartberg instead of Dortmund? “I’m a frugal person”

Hartberg coach Manfred Schmid(Bild: GEPA)

What a start for Hartberg's new coach! Manfred Schmid celebrated a wonderful debut in TSV's 1-0 win against WSG Tirol in the Bundesliga. How Schmid, who once coached on the big soccer stage like in Dortmund, feels in Eastern Styria and what you have to imagine by the term general manager of TSV.

The mood in Hartberg? Resolved. "It does something to a player when you don't win for so long. Even if he says otherwise. You're confronted with it again and again." But now the spell is broken. The 1:0 against WSG Tirol was the first win of the season - and, curiously, only the second home win for the team from Eastern Styria in the entire 2024 calendar year.

The arrival of the Viennese head coach had an impact on the club. The sense of shock following the departure of Markus Schopp, which nobody at TSV could have imagined in advance, has evaporated. General manager Manfred Schmid is now being listened to. "In sporting terms, I have the main responsibility, but I am subordinate to Erich Korherr. Together with Christian Gratzei, I take care of the sporting agenda. So far, everything has been very positive and we're having fun together. We will try to solve all the problems that exist in the club together."

There are always problems with the infrastructure in Hartberg. What does Manfred Schmid, who once coached with Peter Stöger at 1. FC Köln or even Borussia Dortmund, think when he walks onto the Hartberg training pitches? "I'm a frugal person," laughs the 53-year-old, "I don't always need a lot. Of course there's a lot that needs to be done here, but other clubs have that problem too. The current stadium is to be expanded and then there will be discussions about a new stadium. We are now working with what we have and are trying to improve step by step. We certainly won't fall into mourning on the subject." 

Pfeifer and Co. secured their first win of the season.(Bild: GEPA)

Schmid has enough quality on the pitch, as was evident against WSG Tirol. "Hartberg have lost important players like Entrup and Sangare, but there are still players here who are really good, who have character and mentality. There are real leaders and players with potential here," said Schmid, who proved he had a golden touch with goalscorer Max Fillafer right at the start. "That's why I traded him," laughs the TSV general after the lucky move. Fillafer had replaced the injured Justin Omoregie. "But Max would have been on the pitch anyway. It's all about decisions. Even mine won't always be the right ones."

A slight sigh of relief
However, the trend in Hartberg is pointing upwards, the 1-0 win against WSG was the fifth game in a row without defeat, including the Cup. Also positive: leading wolf Omoregie was already stomping around the stadium again on Thursday evening. The injury should not be too bad. However, he is still doubtful for Sunday's home game against Altach.