Head of sport confirms

Premiere! Austria relies more on Austrians

Jannik Robatsch is one of the biggest red-white-red talents at Austria Klagenfurt.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Twelve Austrians will be on the score sheet at Austria Klagenfurt in future. This is the only way the Violets will meet the criteria for the Austrian pot in future - at least for the last of three accounting periods in the current season. In the past, the club missed out on millions.

Now it's a done deal! For the first time in its young Bundesliga history, Austria Klagenfurt will have access to part of the Austrian pot - worth a total of around 6.1 million euros. "Yes, that's the clear direction. We want to have the twelve Austrians required for the Austrian pot on the scoresheet at all times from the start of the final round," explained sporting director Günther Gorenzel.

Our talents are the future.

Günther GORENZEL, Sportdirektor Austria Klagenfurt

If this can be achieved in the last of the three accounting periods, around 350,000 euros could still go to Waidmannsdorf. So far, Violett has always foregone the Ö-pot since promotion, thus giving away millions.

"Best of Kebab" boss Ertürk (right) brought lunch to the dressing room on Thursday - donated by captain Mahrer (left).(Bild: Claudio Trevisan)

Cooperation with the state of Carinthia announced
Gorenzel, who has 15 red-white-red players and eleven legionnaires in the squad, also wants to rely on his own young talent: "Our talents are the future. With Jannik Robatsch, Matteo Kitz and Co. we have proven that we can fulfill the tasks of the academy. That's why we're aiming to work together with the state for a joint AKA."

Meanwhile, the squad trained on grass again for the first time at the Sportpark on Thursday. Afterwards, captain Thorsten Mahrer and assistant coach Martin Lassnig provided lunch in the dressing room: kebab man Erkara Ertürk treated everyone to his specialty. Thus fortified, they would have loved to eat Salzburg's bulls on Sunday.