The sports management of Austria Wien

The new sports management team at Austria Wien consists of sporting director Michael Wagner, technical director Robert Urbanek and academy director Manuel Takacs. This decision-making body will take over responsibility for all sporting matters at the club with immediate effect.

Sporting director Michael Wagner: "This composition of the sporting directorate is primarily intended to involve our academy more closely in key decision-making processes in order to improve the integration of our home-grown players into the first team. The sports management team will also work with experts from different areas of the club on specific topics, such as scouting, data management and women's football. The aim is to make the best possible use of the expertise available within the club and to pool this know-how within the sports management team."

Robert Urbanek has been Technical Director of Austria Wien since May 2024 and previously headed the Austria Academy together with Manuel Takacs (since 2022) and his predecessors Florian Mader (2021/22) and Rene Glatzer (2018-21).

"One of the central goals of the sports management is to further increase the permeability for our home-grown players. Robert Urbanek has many years of experience in the strategic planning of player transfers – from the youth and academy to the Young Violets and the first team. In addition, he will coordinate the relevant interfaces and play a key role in shaping strategic decisions during these transition phases. He also brings with him extensive expertise in the handling of transfers and player contracts," explains Michael Wagner.

Manuel Takacs will be incorporated into the sports management team in his role as academy director, for example to be closely involved in squad planning for the first team for the coming years. Takacs has been head of the Austria academy for three and a half years. The 39-year-old previously managed the academies in Burgenland and at LASK in Upper Austria.

"Manuel Takacs has many years of experience in management positions in youth and academy football and brings valuable expertise, particularly in the area of player development. Through continuous exchange with all academy coaches, he always maintains a comprehensive overview of the development of our talents. Together, we as a team in the sports management are responsible for implementing the club's strategic direction," says sports director Michael Wagner.