ÖFB-Zoff: Players demand reforms – who has power in the association?

ÖFB-Zoff: Players demand reforms – who has power in the association?

After tumultuous developments in the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB), Wolfgang Bartosch took office as interim president on Friday. The 66-year-old lawyer announced that he would work resolutely to reform the association despite internal opponents such as Tyrol's Josef Geisler and Upper Austria's Gerhard Götschhofer, who are suggesting legal action against his election. Bartosch explained: “I look at Götschhofer’s announced lawsuit calmly,” and emphasized his support in the presidium. Structural reform and the search for a new CEO are high on his agenda, with a planned timeframe of the end of March 2025 for final decision-making.

Conflict between players and officials

Meanwhile, a conflict is brewing within the ÖFB and has come to a head. Stars like David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer have publicly criticized the officials and are calling for changes in the association. Alaba addressed the ÖFB leadership in an email to request a personal meeting after the decision to terminate managing director Bernhard Neuhold. Rangnick and the team see Neuhold as a key person for the development of the national team, as he uses resources efficiently for sporting success. Loud Vienna newspaper The players have the feeling that their voices are not taken seriously and are pushing for more professionalism: “We question actions,” says Sabitzer.

In a heated exchange between the team council and the officials, the players realized that the internal power struggles were paralyzing the team. Rangnick objected to the officials' decision: "We're not a student team," the players complained internally. The resignation of President Klaus Mitterdorfer further aggravated the situation. It is now unclear how the future leadership of the ÖFB will be shaped and whether the players will actually be able to implement the necessary reform to give the association a more professional face.