Successor Sought

Former Boss Winkler Has Vanished! The VSV Faces the End

The VSV is in a state of shock.(Bild: GEPA)

A week before the start of the season, a major scandal in Villach! General Manager Martin Winkler has fled, and now the club must pick up the pieces. Outstanding player salaries and financial troubles have hit the club hard. Chairman Manfred Herzog cut short his vacation in Italy to come back and take stock of the club’s finances. A new general manager is urgently needed. The preseason game against Augsburg takes place on Friday.

The VSV has completely crashed and burned! Is total collapse now looming? In one week, the Eagles were supposed to kick off the ICE League season—now the entire plan is on shaky ground. Two weeks ago, General Manager Martin Winkler (who took over in 2022 from VSV CFO Andreas Schwab and board spokesperson Gerald Rauchenwald) announced his resignation; on Wednesday, he stepped down from his position effective immediately. And since then, events have been unfolding rapidly, with more and more details coming to light.

Heavy Debt Burden
The VSV is facing financial collapse anyway—even though it has repeatedly claimed in many interviews to be “debt-free.” Incidentally, there is an ongoing proceeding with the tax office, the ÖGK, and potential repayments for COVID-19 aid—a debt burden of nearly two million euros; the presumption of innocence applies.

Help Refused
As early as January 2026, the league was alarmed and offered the VSV assistance. At the time, Winkler flatly refused. The idea that the ICE League would now step in to help the club is out of the question. “The bylaws simply don’t allow for that,” sources within the league say.

It’s also a surprising resignation for us, coming at a particularly inopportune time. We’re conducting a thorough financial audit.

VSV-Obmann Manfred HERZOG

Draining the swamp
Manfred Herzog (who has been VSV chairman only since May) is stepping in to fill the void. “This resignation comes as a surprise to us, too, at the worst possible time,” explains the pharmacy owner, who immediately cut short his vacation in Italy. He plans to start draining the swamp as early as Friday in Villach during his first meetings.

“Conducting a financial audit”
Salaries are reportedly outstanding—for players, coaches, and staff. On top of that, there are many unpaid bills. The last three years will be reexamined: “We’re doing a complete financial audit.”

“We want to keep going!”
The ICE League convened a crisis meeting on Thursday. There, a gentlemen’s agreement was reached not to poach any VSV star players. And: “The VSV has been cleared to start because all financial and structural requirements have been met, and the bank guarantee has been deposited. We hope the VSV can overcome all its problems,” says league manager Christian Feichtinger.

Herzog also emphasizes in no uncertain terms: “We want to keep going! First, of course, we need to get a clear picture of the situation. We’re looking for a managing director for the professional operation, for the GmbH.”

Concerns at City Hall
Deep concerns are also prevalent at the City of Villach: “We demand complete transparency. The first step must therefore be for the VSV’s limited liability company to provide comprehensive clarity,” explain Mayor Günther Albel and City Council members Erwin Baumann and Christian Pober in a joint press release.

For now, the blue-and-white team can keep playing. Hopefully, the VSV’s friendly match against Augsburg on Friday (7:15 p.m.) won’t be the Villach team’s very last appearance. . .