Feldhofer in the final

Sturm legend reaches for his first title!

Ferdinand Feldhofer reaches for his first title as a professional coach.(Bild: Thor)

Ferdinand Feldhofer has been head coach at Dinamo Tbilisi since mid-June. The 45-year-old from eastern Styria is to lead the Georgian record champions back to their former glory. Tomorrow, Thursday (4pm), Feldhofer will be aiming for his first title as a coach with the professionals, having reached the Cup final with Dinamo.

When Feldhofer was hired in the summer in Georgia, where a full-season championship is contested, it was clear that the traditional club would no longer win a flower pot in the championship this season. "Even back then, the people in charge told me that it would be all the more important to win the cup. Because then we would be back in the European Cup next season," says Feldhofer, who is supposed to get Dinamo back on the road to success. The Styrian is currently in the process of making massive changes to the squad.

Tobias Schützenauer made his debut for Dinamo Tbilisi.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

A few weeks ago, "Ferdl" also brought in compatriot Tobias Schützenauer. The long-serving Sturm goalkeeper was without a club after his guest appearance for Altach. "My numbers two and three in goal are injured, the fourth goalie is only 15." 'Schützi' played for the first time last weekend. Tbilisi lost their dress rehearsal before the Cup final 3-0, their third league defeat in a row.

"But we don't care about the championship, in which we are sixth before the last matchday. We're subordinating everything to the final, not risking any injuries and conserving our strength," says the Sturm legend openly. Everyone wants this title at all costs! "It would be great, for the club, for me. It would be my first as coach of a professional team. I won the championship title in the regional league with Lafnitz back then."

The championship, in which we are sixth before the last matchday, doesn't matter to us. We are subordinating everything to the final, not risking any injuries and conserving our strength.

Dinamo-Trainer Ferdinand Feldhofer

Spaeri FC, a second division team, awaits Dinamo in the final. "In terms of name, we're the clear favorites, of course, but I'm playing with an U21 team, so to speak, and Spaeri has eliminated two first-division clubs on the way to the final. It will be anything but a walk in the park," says "Ferdl", who will hopefully return to Graz next week at the end of the season as a newly crowned cup winner. "We start again in mid-January and spend four weeks in Portugal preparing for the new season. The transition will continue, it's a longer process."