"That leaves me hungry for more"

The club: LASK is an incredibly exciting challenge for me. It’s a big name with huge ambitions. That aligns with my own vision, so I’m really happy to be working with the team. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank TSV Hartberg for giving me the chance to take this step.

His first sessions in Linz: We used the first week to get to know the players. Some were away on national team duty, but most were here, and we’ve had the chance to assess them. We all know the opportunities we have here, but we also know that infrastructure doesn’t win games. That’s why we need to work well, intensely, and hard to make progress step by step in the direction the club needs to go.

The squad: There are a few players I’ve worked with before (Flecker, Horvath, Entrup), and others that I’ve been observing closely for a while. Because of that, I already value their qualities, and now I’m getting to know them even better. We have incredibly interesting players, and I’ve also had the chance to meet many young players who trained with us during the international break. The first few days have been a lot of fun, and it leaves me hungry for more.

Team spirit: Basically, everyone wants to win, but the question is how to get everyone on the same page. That’s a process we work on through training sessions. We’re quite clear on how we want to present ourselves, and each player needs to know their role. At the end of the day, everyone should contribute to our success. For me, the team comes first. It’s important to make sure that everyone understands that we want to be successful as a team and improve every player within that framework.

The season so far: I’m someone who looks forward. We’ve tried to get a sense of things through discussions. We want to be very clear and convey to the team the importance of going onto the field with clarity. It was essential to introduce our ideas through the first training sessions. Of course, you have to analyze things properly, but then the absolute focus is on moving forward. We have many games ahead, and we want to perform well and succeed."

His game plan at LASK: Ideas are always tied to the players. I understand that expectations in Linz are very high. We want to play good football, win, and build a mentality that has always been typical of LASK. The idea will evolve based on the players, and it’s a process. We have to build on what’s already in place and draw the right conclusions for us.

Expectations: A lot has developed in recent years. With this infrastructure at such a traditional club, the expectations rise. That’s something you need to be aware of and work with. I believe that in the past years, there’s been an effort to put together a very interesting squad. Every coach has their ideas, and we know how football can be – some have a bit of luck at the right moment, others don’t. What’s clear is that everyone has to work hard, and we’re doing that. I think we have very interesting possibilities with the players available.

The squad: Tobias Lawal joined last week, and in recent days players like Maximilian Entrup, Robert Zulj, and Ibrahim Mustapha have returned. More players are coming back, which is a positive situation. We know it’s important to maintain competition within the team, ensuring that it pushes us in the right direction. Every player returning brings pressure, and that’s a good thing."

The mental state of the team: The team was dissatisfied with their development and performances. Each player’s expectation is to achieve better results and deliver better performances, and you can feel that. The team is very clear about what they want to do. You have to observe carefully but also be the person who helps the players get to where everyone wants to be.