Krenmayr in Leoben

“There will be a massive change of course”

The traditional club DSV Leoben has great potential. Peter Krenmayr wants to use it.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Mario Urbantschitsch GEPA)

First Siegendorf, then Mauerwerk, now Leoben. Soccer official Peter Krenmayr has added another club to his business card. All three were or are in crisis. The Burgenland native now wants to help the Styrians stabilize the insolvent club.

A mountain of debt that, according to the credit protection association, is higher than the "Monte Schlacko" at 2.4 million euros (1.9 million euros from the professional division and a further 520,000 euros from the marketing GmbH). Insolvency proceedings were also opened yesterday. Ex-Bayern footballer Carsten Jancker has already resigned as coach at Leoben, and numerous players have turned their backs on the traditional Styrian club. Chairman Thomas Pfeiffer also recently announced his resignation by e-mail. Slowly but surely, the final end is looming.

Krenmayr wants to help Leoben (pictured: Turi and Friesenbichler) get back on their feet.(Bild: GEPA)

But club manager Mark Prey has now pulled another ace out of his battered sleeve. Peter Krenmayr is to fill the vacant chairman position and breathe new life into Leoben. Literally. The former Siegendorf president thus ends up at the third crisis club in three years. His intermezzo at Ostliga club Mauerwerk only lasted until the end of December.

Peter Krenmayr rarely minces his words.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

"That was the deal, everything else was wishful thinking on the part of the president," says Krenmayr. "I helped Mauerwerk with the permits for containers in the form of cabins so that league operations could be maintained." Now he is putting his network to work in Leoben. "It won't be easy, but DSV will continue to exist."

The traditional club DSV Leoben has great potential.(Bild: GEPA)

They will finish the season in the Regionalliga Mitte, before moving on to the Styrian national league. "Squad planning is already underway. There will be a massive change of direction. We are focusing on young players from the region," says Krenmayr. There will be support from the municipality. "We all have to work together to get the club through the next few months, stabilize it and reduce its debt. Leoben has huge potential that needs to be exploited."