Kraetschmer: “We have a top-3-budget”

With five games to go, the gap between the ‘Violets’ and Admira (currently fifth) is seven points. How big is your hope for the European Cup?

CEO Markus Kraetschmer: Of course, we are all disappointed that we are still this far down in the standings. It's fair to say that if we play like we did in the last game against LASK, it will be very difficult to reach our goal in the last five rounds. Nonetheless, as Coach Thomas Letsch has said as well, we will certainly not give up. It is possible to make up this gap in five games. But it will be necessary, as team captain Alex Grünwald has said, that we are not just talking about winning but also starting to win. We know that it will not be easy.

Of course, the current ranking does not meet the high standards of Austria Wien. Critics argue that while a lot of money is being invested in the infrastructure, the budget for the actual sport is being neglected. What do you reply to these allegations?

Kraetschmer: The fact is that we have carefully planned a budget of 27 million euros for the coming season and that, according to my information, with the budget we have planned for the A-team will lie in the top 3 of the League. It is also clear that without the European Cup, it will be far more difficult to obtain any additional revenue that can be reinvested into the sport segment. In any case, as in the current season, we will again have a top 3 budget. It is crucial that we work very efficiently and effectively with it.

What role does the new Generali-Arena play in the context of the sports budget?

Kraetschmer: We already know that with the new stadium and the new marketing opportunities that result from it, we will reach a level in sponsoring (including VIP hospitality) and spectator area, which did not yet exist in the post-MAGNA era of Austria Wien. Of course, this also implies a different cost structure, but all international cross-comparisons show that those clubs that grow and are successful in the long term have invested sustainably in their infrastructure. That is the way we are going. But that cannot be considered the reason for the current sporting failure, because we also have a top 3 budget for the team this season. That's why we have to demand to be a top 3 team. Therefore, we have to question ourselves very critically, why we weren’t able to reach that yet.

In autumn, Austria Wien had many concerns about injuries. Now almost all squad players are fit again, but it is still not going as well as desired. What are the reasons for this in your opinion?

Kraetschmer: I already warned in autumn that we should not just rely on the injured players returning. Yes, some of the key players couldn’t play long-term, but the fact is that most of the players except the long-time injured Martschinko, Westermann and Almer were all available against LASK and we were still defeated. We have to be honest and critical with ourselves while analyzing. In such phases it is crucial that we analyze fairly, openly and ruthlessly internally, draw the right conclusions from it and take the appropriate measures.

In 80 days Austria Wien will open the new stadium against BVB - what is the status quo of the S.T.A.R. project?

Kraetschmer: Training grounds and the stadium will be ready in June or July. We work intensively here, we are still on schedule. Of course, we also think about the extension of the Academy and the Regional Junior Research Center, where important external decisions have yet to be made. Only with good, sustainable infrastructure in all areas can we create a basis to be successful in the long term. In addition to internationalization and digitization, infrastructure is one of our key projects.

What positive medium-term effects for the sport segment can the Austria family expect from the new Generali-Arena?

Kraetschmer: We are at the end of a difficult cycle with the stadium renovation and all the accompanying symptoms. This is changing soon - in just 80 days we have our opening game against Borussia Dortmund. Starting in the second half of June, the team will be able to train in ‘Favoriten’, in state-of-the-art training conditions. These are all measures that we have taken to play sustainable successful football in the future. Of course, I understand the disappointment of our fans and partners, who rightfully say that we have to do more with the financial means we have available for the A-team this year. My primary task is to provide budgetary opportunities for the sport. For that we will generate additional revenue, especially with the new stadium, which we can invest in our A-team. But the stadium alone will not be enough for everything to run smoothly sport wise.

In the second part of the interview, Markus Kraetschmer will talk about the potential change for Austria Wien during the summer, the current status of the squad, the question about the coach, as well as the structure and importance of the junior and training department.

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