"Our aspiration is to grow as a club"

Internationalization is currently very much the focus of FK Austria Wien. In Milan, you held talks with Milan CEO Marco Fassone and representatives of Inter Milan - Michael Williamson (Chief Strategy Officer), Massimo Cosentino (General Secretary) and Alessandro Antonello (COO), i.a. to talk about infrastructure, digitalisation and internationalization. How important is it to work internationally with other clubs in these areas?

For the development of our club, FK Austria Wien, it is very important to work internationally. In the re-election of President Wolfgang Katzian in January 2017, we deliberately stated that these areas are our strategic priorities.

In the area of infrastructure we are already working intensively on the S.T.A.R.-Project and have an exact concept for the next years. Digitalisation is a major focus, especially regarding the new Generali-Arena.

Internationalization is also very important for the further development of the club. Therefore, we use many possibilities and platforms: in our position at the ECA (European Club Association), in various committees and in the Club Management Programme of the ECA, where we will host a session in January 2019.

In addition, we are using our connections to the BVB and are establishing close ties on a European level of the UEFA Europa League. It was a great opportunity to have personal talks with AC Milan and Inter Milan, both of which are very active in the Asian market - and then draw conclusions for the right strategy for FK Austria Wien.

How important is the qualification for the UEFA Europa League group stage, especially in this context?

Very decisive. Regular participation in an UEFA competition not only gives you a great reputation as a club, but also provides you with a platform to be on eye level with important figures of big clubs. The group stage also provides players with a perspective and a stage to present themselves on. As well as the previously mentioned exchange of know-how.

In a conversation with Michael Williamson (Chief Strategy Officer of Inter Milan), it turned out that infrastructure and digitalisation are also very important pillars for Inter Milan. This confirms our current course. The know-how transfer has also confirmed that we are on the right track at the academy level as well.

Ultimately, the increased prestige of the club, which goes along with qualifying for a UEFA competition, also helps to attract new international partners and sponsors - most recently the partnership with "Synthos". As part of our growth strategy, our goal must also be to use new markets that make us even more interesting for partners and sponsors.

The coming season is one of change - the return to the refurbished Generali-Arena, the league reform, the new TV contract. What are the consequences of these changes from a financial point of view for FK Austria Wien?

It's extremely exciting that the 2018/2019 season starts with so many changes. First and foremost, of course, with our new Generali-Arena - with its great new training options for the pros, heated courts and indoor training facilities - and the new back office in the North terrace.

In addition the league reform will bring new athletic elements. The new TV deal gives us, as a club, new opportunities to showcase more content to our fans through our own club TV and through our social media channels. This, in turn, fits perfectly with our digitalisation strategy.

We will continue to develop accordingly. Our aspiration is to grow as a club. We are on the right path in many areas, but along with this our A-team has to realize the necessary sporting successes.

Athletically FK Austria Wien had a difficult phase this fall, with a long list of injuries. Now some injured regulars will return in spring – i.a. Lucas Venuto, Heiko Westermann, Florian Klein and Alex Grünwald. To what extent are any considerations for the transfer time being discussed?

We are aware that we are completing a very difficult half-season. In the 20 years I have worked for Austria Wien, I personally have not experienced such an accumulation of injuries. You cannot consider this in any squad planning. On one hand you have to take one’s hat off to the coaching team around Thorsten Fink, who has had to improvise over and over again, but also to the young players who move up here and always try to do their best.

On the other hand, we are also very concerned, because we are clearly lagging behind our goals in terms of points and placement in the Bundesliga. It would be too easy just to blame the injury pile because there are just too many other mistakes. We have to analyse exactly in which areas we can improve.

The task for sports director Franz Wohlfahrt, in particular, is to analyse these situations closely with the coaching team and to propose the right measures. The fact that in January 2018 changes to the squad must be part of it, is clear to me.

You have to take a closer look: which player will come back when and how fast can you count on him, building on that we can then possibly become active in the transfer market. First, it is always our goal to occupy every position with players of our own amateur team - but if there is no current alternative, we have to sign a new player.

The clear minimum goal is unchanged, that we again qualify for an international competition, because we want to offer our fans European Cup games during the 2018/19 season in the new Generali Arena.

Lieber Austria-Fan,

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