Zulechner surprises with a comeback and saves ASK Ybbs in stoppage time!

Zulechner surprises with a comeback and saves ASK Ybbs in stoppage time!

Philipp Zulechner, former SK Sturm Graz attacker, drew attention to himself at the weekend in a remarkable comeback for ASK Ybbs. Due to an acute lack of personnel in the team, the 34-year-old, who is the coach of the Lower Austrian regional league team, jumped into the breach himself and scored the equalizer against SG Rohrbach/St. Veit. This happened in the 90th + 7th minute after Ybbs had previously been down 0-1. Zulechner had already announced that he could step in “in an extreme emergency,” which has now turned out to be very valuable for his team. Ybbs is currently in fourth place in the league, closely followed by the leading teams, who are only separated by two points and are fighting for the championship title and promotion to the Regionalliga East. Zulechner came onto the pitch himself in the 73rd minute to support his team.

The path to becoming a coach: Zulechner's new role

Zulechner, who was active in his career at Grödig, Sturm Graz, Austria Vienna, Freiburg and Erzgebirge Aue, among others, will officially take over as coach at ASK Ybbs from the coming season. This position marks his first step into a coaching career after previously looking after the U15 youth team at AFW Waidhofen/Ybbs. Chairman Christian Eplinger expressed optimism about Zulechner's future role, particularly because of his profound experience as a player and his personal suitability for the club. This combination seems to create ideal conditions for a successful season.

The football coach in the Austrian context

A lot is happening in the background in the world of Austrian football. The search for a new team boss for the Austrian national team is currently underway as Marcel Koller is no longer in office. Meanwhile, there are currently 20 coaching jobs in the Bundesliga and First League, 17 of which go to Austrian coaches. This development shows that the coaching landscape in Austria is flourishing and constantly changing.

The ranking of Austrian football coaches has also changed since 2017, with coaches who work in the amateur sector or as assistant coaches not being taken into account. The top 25 coaches have been identified and present some of the most successful personalities in Austrian football, including Ralph Hasenhüttl, Peter Stöger and Adi Hütter. These coaches largely define the status quo in Austrian football, even if the rating does not necessarily reflect the quality.

Zulechner is now the next one who wants to prove himself in this dynamic landscape. His comeback could not only be crucial for ASK Ybbs, but also for his own career as a coach. The pressure and expectations will be high, but with his in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for football, he has the potential to take the team further.

You can find out more about this topic and other coaches in Austrian football on the website of Laola1, ASK Ybbs and Laola1 read up.