ASV Schrems – “…then I would have laughed at him”

NÖN: ASV Schrems played a historic autumn season. What’s your balance sheet on this?

Herbert Zimmel: Things couldn’t go better. Also graduating in Kottingbrunn again. It wasn’t a really easy game at the end of a long season. But everyone gave him everything he had and he gave him everything he had. This was rewarded in the end. It was also perfect for the entire fall season. The team is healthy and getting along really well. On Friday, everyone was together again for the Zankerlschnaps, the Viennese came too, and the coach was there. It also plays a big role in this fall season. Everything fits together very well, and that’s how success comes together. I have to congratulate the whole team.

What were the moments when you realized something could happen?

Zemel: It actually started with the first game. You go to Langenruhr and suddenly you win there. We knew we had a tough draw, but then we saved against Glognitz and we saved against Ortmann. The real decisive moment for me was the home win against Schieblekirchen. Suddenly you go ahead at home against the team relegated from the regional league, and then you win. This had a huge impact on the team. Also victory at Wiener Neustadt. The team realized more and more what they were capable of achieving and gained more and more self-confidence. Playback started. However, the preparation was also very good.

Before the season, despite a nominally good team, no one was in the top three.

Zemel: To be honest: If someone had told me before the season that we would progress a lot during the winter break, I would have laughed.

She won’t play again in the spring. You are one of the candidates for the title. How serious are ASV in pursuing the title race?

Zimel: There are still meetings pending. But basically we all agree that we want to keep the team. The team gets better the longer they can play together. On the championship title: If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen with this team. We will not force anything.

With Deniz Saritas there is a kind of new addition. He returns to the team after suffering a torn collateral ligament and has already practiced several times toward the end of the fall season. How is he doing?

Zimel: Deniz trained three times, of course not to the maximum. But he worked a lot with the ball to regain feeling. It looks so good, it feels good. He will begin preparations with the team as usual on January 16.