Josef Pröll: First external ÖFB president and hope for unity!

Josef Pröll: First external ÖFB president and hope for unity!

Bregenz, Österreich - Josef Pröll was elected as the new president of the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB). The election took place on Wednesday and took three hours for the election committee to make a decision. This result was incomprehensible for many fans and caused a headwind. Pröll is to be officially enthroned on May 18 at the Annual General Meeting in Bregenz. Nine State President and the Bundesliga representative Philip Thonhauser were present at the meeting.

A total of 13 people will take part in the vote on May 18: the nine state presidents and four representatives of the Bundesliga. Pröll, who is ex-Vice-Chancellor, thus becomes the first external president since Friedrich Stickler, who was in office from 2002 to 2008. Before that, many presidents only acted interim and none stayed in office for more than one and a half years.

The way to the presidential office

The proposal for the election of Pröll came surprisingly from Gartner, who was not informed in advance about the nomination. Election committee chairman Martin Mutz and his deputy Josef Geisler held important information. Despite the feedback that Christian Jauk advocated, Pröll ultimately received the majority: the result of the vote was 6: 4 for Pröll. Jauk supporter decided to contain the voice, which made the decision easier.

The central goals of Pröll are the creation of calm and unity in the disputed association. There are currently conflicts between Managing Director Bernhard Neuhold and Secretary General Thomas Hollerer. In addition, a new CEO urgently needs to be found, while team boss Ralf Rangnick must also be guaranteed.

challenges for the new president

Pröll faces the challenge of solving the internal tensions in the association. There are also important decisions to clearly define the future of Austrian football. The responsibilities and requirements are high, and the expectations of the fans do not remain without influence on the new leadership.

There is also news about the jerseys of the Austrian men's national team, which under Ralf Rangnick ranks 29th in the FIFA world rankings. The team has successfully qualified for the 2024 European Championship in Germany. The new home jersey, which comes in classic red with white decorations, is inspired by the Austrian Art Nouveau architecture. Traditional white with gray and turquoise accents was chosen for the away jerseys. These designs reflect both pride and passion for football.

The men's national team, which also includes players like David Alaba, Marko Arnautović and Christoph Baumgartner, has their home games in the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, where up to 51,000 spectators can find space. The women's national team, which includes players like Sarah Puntigam and Katharina Schiecht, is also in the spotlight. The team heads Puntigam as a record player with 144 international matches.

Development in the ÖFB will be decisive for both fans and for the overall cost of football in Austria. The design and the effects of the upcoming decisions under Pröll's leadership are of elementary importance. Krone reports that Austrian football is facing an exciting chapter, while the anticipation of the following challenges and success in the sporting area develops.