Question Mark Before the Hit

Herzog: Posch? “He’ll have to be honest about that…”

Stefan Posch’s (right) availability for the match against Argentina is in doubt.(Bild: AFP/DEAN MOUHTAROPOULOS)

Will Stefan Posch be able to play against Argentina on Monday (7 p.m./live on the sportkrone.at live ticker)—or is the pain from his broken jaw just too much? A big question mark hangs over the ÖFB team’s second World Cup group stage match. Andreas Herzog is hoping the right back will play—but only under one condition.

“Now we have to wait and see how he can handle the pain, how severe it is. Only the player himself can decide that, and he has to be honest about it and say, ‘Okay, I can go into every tackle, every header duel.’ As a defender, he has to be able to do that,” the “Krone” columnist emphasized in an ORF interview. “If not, it’s better for him to say, ‘Unfortunately, I just couldn’t make it after all.’ Then someone else will have to step into the breach.”

Andreas Herzog (right) together with Michael Gregoritsch(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Will Laimer step in?
And that could be Konrad Laimer, who had a strong season at FC Bayern Munich at right back. In the match against Jordan, the “whirlwind” surprisingly started at the No. 10 position in attacking midfield.

Another option would be Phillipp Mwene. Although the Mainz player is called up to the ÖFB squad as a left back, he is right-footed. Herzog doesn’t expect a formation with three center backs: “I don’t think Ralf Rangnick will switch to three center backs.”

“He’s a tough guy”
The opening victory against Jordan was “a really cool start to the World Cup,” according to the ÖFB legend. “I hope the fans will have plenty more to celebrate!” Herzog’s final prediction for Posch: “He’s a tough guy; I think we’ll see him again at the World Cup!”