The spirit of optimism can be felt both in the club itself and throughout the city. “You can see that the team has even more passion, energy and attitude in training,” explained Messner. Fans also stop by the training center, and players are approached on the street with the words “finally it’s starting again, finally the Bundesliga.”
In 2004, GAK won its only Bundesliga championship title to date. In 2007, the financially troubled club was forced to be relegated to the Regionalliga after 57 years of uninterrupted participation in one of the two highest divisions. After years in the third division, the team stopped playing in 2012. This was followed by a new start in the eighth level, and step by step the Graz team rose to professional football by 2019 and now to the Admiral Bundesliga.
GEPA/Edgar Eisner Gernot Messner is looking forward to his new task
Single-digit position in the table “outstanding”
In the first season, the specter of relegation should never really be an issue. But GAK doesn’t want to get cocky either. “Anything that ends up being a single-digit place in the table is outstanding,” said Messner. But first of all, it’s important to settle into the league, learn quickly and get used to the pace.
Mainly because 80 percent of the players had not yet played in the Bundesliga. This meant that GAK focused on experienced players as well as young players during the transfer window.
Experienced players should lead the way
Three experienced players, Dominik Frieser (30 years old), Martin Kreuzriegler (30) and Petar Filipovic (33), moved to the Mur. “I am sure that when we play in front of 20,000 spectators, they will lead the way, deliver their best performance and stand up for themselves. And the young players, where we don’t know how they will react, learn quickly or look the two of them in the eye, who then show ‘it’s okay, don’t worry about it’,” said Messner.
The newly acquired young players Romeo Vucic (21), Tio Cipot (21) and Jacob Italiano (22) should ensure a good mix. Vucic was loaned from league rivals Austria Vienna, the Slovenian U21 team player Cipot from the Italian second division club Spezia. The Australian Italiano was signed permanently from Borussia Mönchengladbach.
For Perchtold the circle closes
Captain Marco Perchtold is definitely no longer one of the youngsters. The 35-year-old was in the starting eleven for GAK’s last Bundesliga game to date in 2007. 17 years later, after numerous transfers and a return to Graz in 2017, things have now come full circle for the midfielder.
GEPA/Avni Retkoceri Marco Perchtold knows the feeling of playing in the top league
“Emotionally, it means pure relief, pure happiness for the club. But of course also for me personally, because there has been a long time in between,” said Perchtold.
Every game a highlight
In the top division, there will now be a Graz city derby alongside the Vienna and Linz derbies. “These are really great games with super choreography, 15,000 spectators and an amazing atmosphere,” said coach Messner. Two cup duels in the recent past, which rivals Sturm Graz narrowly won, offered a foretaste.
But the great anticipation is not only about the two derbies. For Messner, every game is a highlight. After all, GAK fought for a long time to get back into the Bundesliga. The first game as a newly promoted team against Salzburg should provide some insight into how things might continue. “We don’t know how good we are at that level. After that, we can say for sure where we stand,” said Messner.
