Just as he did as a goalscorer, Miroslav Klose is also approaching his first position as head coach in the football province. At his presentation at the Austrian village club SCR Altach on Monday, the World Cup record scorer was determined, self-confident and focused. “I’m convinced that we’ll be able to move up pretty quickly,” Klose announced courageously: “I’m putting myself under a lot of pressure. I have clear ideas.”
His entry as head coach is unlikely to be easy. The club from the 7,000-strong community in the federal state of Vorarlberg, right on the Swiss border, only saved itself from relegation last season under Klose’s former teammate Ludovic Magnin. “This season has left its mark,” admitted Altach’s managing director Christoph Längle.
Magnin, with whom Klose once played at Werder Bremen, preferred to return to his Swiss hometown of Lausanne. But Klose is full of anticipation and sounded almost euphoric. “I’m here and I’m really happy,” said the 44-year-old, repeatedly speaking of a “huge feeling”.
With the announcement of the coaching personnel last Friday, Altach caused euphoria – apparently with calculation. “It’s an upgrade for us as a club and region,” said Längle. “With Miro, the club will certainly grow a bit.” Klose himself sees this less as a burden than as motivation – even if he formulated the reason for his commitment in Altach as dry as it was simple: “If I’m honest: I’m allowed to be there now Working where other make vacation.”
Nevertheless, he is well aware of the effect his name has on those around him, which makes Klose happy. “I had a great feeling from the talks right from the start. People want something to be created here,” said the 2014 world champion. It remains to be seen whether the claim of the former world stars as footballers and the reality of the previous season’s almost relegated team fit together. “There is no doubt that there was a great deal of euphoria. Nevertheless, we will not start with castles in the air now, ”said Längle.
And despite all the anticipation, Klose seemed to have to slow himself down a bit. “I’ll probably have to lower my expectations,” said Klose, who once began his career as a player in a rather provincial manner in the Palatinate. Even now, after a year off, also for health reasons, after his job as assistant coach to the current national coach Hansi Flick at FC Bayern Munich, he made a conscious decision to go to Altach. Klose could have continued to work in Flick’s coaching team with the national team. “Co-trainer would be the more comfortable way, and I don’t want to go that way,” Klose had recently announced.
