I have to get something off my chest. In the week between yesterday’s game against Maria Alm and last Saturday’s shenanigans in Saalfelden there were threats to ban certain fans, a near walk-out by the entire board, and a partial boycott by some members of the main fan groups. Put another way, lots of injured pride, dented egos and big bottom lips.
I personally do not see how the board nearly walking out when the going gets tough is supposed to help Austria Salzburg. If we all throw our toys out of the pram every time there’s a problem then all we achieve is becoming the centre of attention for five minutes. ‘If you love me; beg me not to go!’ Sorry, it’s your job in difficult times as well. I know 2000 supporters means 2000 opinions on how to manage a football club. You are doing a great job, so don’t threaten to stop every time there’s a problem. Be there for the club because we need you!
I do not understand why several fans feel pressurised or obliged to protect other fans that go too far and then disappear back into the masses. How many hundreds of people do you need behind you before you feel hard enough to run on the pitch and threaten or hit someone? How hard is that? What does that do for Austria Salzburg? And whoever attacked Thomas Karl, why?? It’s too late to stop him from resigning from his security duties, but maybe you could apologise to him and help make him feel good about Austria Salzburg. He works for you! Do something for him!!
I remember the games in the mid 90s when there were hundreds of cars with number plates from the far reaches of the counties of Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria. How many of these people who stopped going to Salzburg games because they can’t identify with Red Bull, will come back home to Austria Salzburg? If you visit their villages, call them farmer swine, put stickers on their car windscreens, piss on their tennis courts, throw your litter in their gardens and threaten their volunteers and members of their families, are you helping or hurting the cause of Austria Salzburg? It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice! Stop being stupid. Don’t waste your energy – USE your energy FOR the Austria.
I do not see how refusing to actively support your team when the going gets tough is going to help Austria Salzburg. It’s a fact, without the Ultras and the Tough Guys this club would be nothing more than an average lower league city club. You are the reason so many other people come to the games. You give people like me the courage to sing and chant and scream for the team instead of just clapping and talking about the weather. You are the heart and soul of Saturday afternoons for the supporters, you are the engine driving the team, and you are the noise and colour and atmosphere that spreads to the rest of us; but yesterday the boycott was another case of ‘If you love me; beg me not to go!’ Do not go – we need you!
We have all come to Austria Salzburg at different times and for different reasons. Nevertheless, this club is a strong part of everybody’s identity. We are here because ‘WE’ are Austria Salzburg. The club was rebuilt from the bottom up by the supporters, but it needs enthusiasm and good business brains; it needs realists and idealists, it needs money and passion; it needs to treasure its traditions and also needs fresh ideas. No one individual or group within the club is more important than Austria Salzburg itself!
The only people who truly reflected the spirit of Austria Salzburg yesterday were the training staff and the players who, despite the lack of vocal support, played a full 90 minutes of lung-bursting football and at least resurrected their own self-image with a 4-0 win that could have been even bigger if everybody had played their part! You have Austria Salzburg in your hearts! We do, too!
See you in Anthering!
Roger
SV Austria Salzburg - UFC Maria Alm 4-0 (3-0)
Austria Salzburg played with:
Trappl; Urbanek, Schmidt, Pecaranin, Milic (62. Kluth); Rottensteiner (56. Schleindl), Federer, Mayer, Feldinger; Cavic (75. Seywald), Winkler
Goals:
1-0: Mayer (18.) (Assist: Cavic)
2-0: Cavic (28.) (Assist: Rottensteiner)
3-0: Winkler (41.) (Assist: Rottensteiner)
4-0: Mayer (63.) (Assist: Federer)
Shots total: Austria 19 / Maria Alm 5
Shots on target: Austria 11 / Maria Alm 4
Shots blocked: Austria 2 / Maria Alm 0
Corners: Austria 8 / Maria Alm 2
Fouls: Austria 19 / Maria Alm 17
Offsides: Austria 1 / Maria Alm 7
Yellow cards:
Austria: 3 (Cavic, 31./Foul; Mayer, 38./Unsportlichkeit; Schmidt, 92./Foul)
Maria Alm: 2 (Bajramovic, 26./Foul; Slowiok, 39./Unsportlichkeit)
Salzburg-Maxglan, Austria-Platz, 1200 Zuschauer
SR: Ing. Michael Pointner; Assistenten: Roland Riedel, Thomas Stiegler
