FCD coach Eric Orie:

“We have everything in place now”

Noa Mathis (left) will miss the Red Shirts' season opener(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

After a quiet but intensive ten weeks of preparation, FC Dornbirn are starting the spring in the Regionalliga West. Now coach Eric Orie and his Reds want to show what they're made of - and their first opponents Kufstein will get a taste of that on Saturday.

Before the start of the season last summer, Dornbirn's sporting director and coach Eric Orie only had a short time to put together a new team after being relegated from League Two and to form a unit from this new team. Not an easy task, but the Rothosen did well in the fall, finishing the first half of the season in fourth place.

Dornbirn coach Eric Orie is looking forward to the spring.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

And now things look different. The Messestadt team have ten weeks of preparation in their legs and minds, as well as eight test matches. "We've been able to work a lot on our game plan and development, especially in the physical area. That makes a huge difference. Our two new winter signings Nikola Pervan and Thiago Bahiense have fitted in perfectly," says coach Orie, "we've been able to grow as a team. Everything we do has a solid foundation."

The mission for the opener against Kufstein is clear. "They're playing against relegation, we're playing for the top four. We want to win," says Orie, "I hope we've got rid of the fluctuations from the fall. It's difficult to say exactly where we stand. But we'll see soon enough."

A problem child
So his squad is fit and injury-free, except for one problem child. Midfielder Noa Mathis was caught out in the last test - another setback for the injury-plagued creative player. "He has a torn muscle fiber and will unfortunately have to take another few weeks off," said his coach regretfully, "it's a real shame for Noa. Just when he was back in form."