The Austrian Bundesliga club LASK has been refused a license. The background is pure coaching chaos. An ex-player of VfL Bochum is affected.

As the Austrian Bundesliga announced on Friday, only eleven of the twelve first division clubs were granted a license in the first instance. All except for LASK. The background to this is an unprecedented coaching chaos.

It was only on Wednesday that Linz sacked coach Thomas Sageder and installed Maximilian Ritscher as interim coach. The problem? The 30-year-old, most recently active as assistant coach, does not have the necessary pro license. The club reacted and replaced Ritscher with Thomas Darazs. Too late.

To the incomprehension of LASK. “We have fully complied with all formal legal regulations of the Bundesliga at all times,” said Managing Director Sport Radovan Vujanovic and added: “After the appointment of the new coaching team around Thomas Darazs and Maximilian Ritscher, Darazs, as the holder of the UEFA Pro License, took over the position of head coach, which we immediately reported to the league. It is therefore completely incomprehensible and arbitrary that Senate 5 has made such a decision. Since we meet all the requirements, we firmly expect to receive the license in the second instance.”

LASK: Former VfL Bochum player is captain

Incidentally, the LASK captain is a former promotion hero of VfL Bochum: Robert Zulj. The 32-year-old midfielder contributed 29 goals in 31 games in the 2021 Second Division championship and played a total of 45 competitive matches for Bochum in two years (17 goals and 20 assists).

After a season at Ittihad Kalba (United Arab Emirates), Zulj landed in Linz and continued his performances from his Bochum days: The Austrian’s record: 57 games, 24 goals and 14 assists. Zulj’s contract runs until 2027.

Austria: Jancker club without eligibility to play

Unlike LASK, Austria Vienna received its license in the first instance for the first time in several years. The crisis-ridden club only has to fulfill one condition, namely to provide “updated information on the future and monthly reports on the economic situation”.

Things look worse for five second division clubs. First Vienna FC and Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz were also denied a license due to a lack of coaching training.

DSV Leoben, coached by ex-Bayern striker Casten Jancker, was not only denied a license, but also a registration for financial reasons. The same applies to SV Stripfing (stadium) and FC Dornbirn (financial reasons).