FK Austria Wien

Nicknamed ‘The Violets’, Fußballklub Austria Wien play in the city of Wien (Vienna) in eastern Austria. They were founded in 1911 so are celebrating being 100 years old this year. They play in the Franz Hoor Stadium (also known as ‘Generali Arena’ since a 2010 sponsorship deal) which has a capacity of 13,400. They are one of the most successful teams in Austria having won the league 23 times and cup 27 times, they also reached a European final in 1978 losing 4-0 to Anderlecht in the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup. They finished 3^rd in last season’s league, 5 points off top place but 8 points ahead of greatest rivals Rapid Wien. Their last appearance in European competition came in last season’s Europa League but Wien failed to qualify for the group stages, losing out 2-1 to Greek side Aris Thessaloniki in the play-off round. They are regular competitors in the group stages though, last reaching them in the 09/10 Europa League picking up 2 points and finishing bottom of the table. They have never faced Irish opposition in a competitive fixture.

Squad and Management

FK Austria Wien

They are managed by 58 year old Austrian Karl Daxbacher who has been in charge since 2008. He is a familiar face around the club having made nearly 400 appearances for Wien throughout the 70’s and 80’s. He also has 6 international caps for Austria. As a player, he has lifted the league trophy 7 times with Wien but his only success as their manager so far is winning the Austrian Cup once in 2009.

Their squad is made up of mainly Austrians, some of whom have played at full international level. They also have a Czech international player (Tomáš Jun-10 caps) and a Brazilian striker known as ‘Schumacher’, previously of Udinese.

The City

Vienna City Hall

Vienna is the capital of Austria, with a population of about 1.7million. The city lies close to the borders of Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Austrians first language is German and ‘Wien’ is the German for Vienna. Some of the main tourist attractions are Hofburg and Schönbrunn imperial palaces, Schönbrunn Palace is also home to the World’s oldest zoo which opened in 1752. Vienna also has strong links to classical music with famous composers such as Beethoven and Mozart linked with the city, Beethoven’s houses and grave are other popular attractions in the city. Vienna also has over 100 art museums which attract over 8million visitors a year.

Getting There

With regular direct flights from Dublin with Aer Lingus, Vienna is easy enough to get to. Flights seem to be in the region of €200-€300 at the moment (which will obviously rise if we draw them). If you fancy an adventure, there is as with most European countries the option of inter-railing your way there.

Cost

Vienna is in the middle of the range in terms of European prices. Meals cost between €5 and €7 on average. There are more upmarket places that will obviously charge more. In supermarkets, a litre of wine can cost as little as €2.50, a can of beer from 50cent and a loaf of bread €1.50. Accommodation wise, apartments are the cheapest option. Hotels range from the basic and inexpensive to the luxurious and exorbitant. A 3* hotel in a central district can be found for between €50-80.

Useful Phrases

Hello – Hallo

Just wan cheque - nur eine Überprüfung

Is Fitzo one of the lads? - Ist Fitzo einer der Jungs?

The human centipede - Der menschliche tausendfüßler

Sligo Rovers European Tour 2011

With the Europa League 3^rd qualifying round draw just days away, here is a closer look at some (Well, just one for now) of Sligo Rovers potential opponents. Rovers are unseeded for the draw and therefore have the chance to draw some of the bigger names in European football such as Atlético Madrid, Palermo and AZ Alkmaar as well as teams Rovers have previously met in European competitions - Club Brugge and Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda).

First up...

FC Karpaty Lviv

Ukraina Stadium, home of Karpaty Lviv

FC Karpaty Lviv play in the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, just 70 kilometres from the Polish border. The club was founded in 1963 and play in Ukraina Stadium which has a capacity of just under 30,000. They have never won their league with their best chance coming in the 05/06 season when they finished runners-up to Zorya Luhansk. They also qualified for last season’s Europa league group stages beating Turkish giants Galatasaray along the way. However, in a group with Paris Saint Germain, Sevilla & Borussia Dortmund, they managed to pick up just one point (a 1-1 draw at home to PSG) and eventually finished bottom of the group.

They are no strangers to Irish shores either, playing Shelbourne in the old Cup Winners’ Cup back in the 93/94 season, in which Shels came out 3-2 victors on aggregate following a 3-1 win at Tolka Park.

Squad and Management

They are managed by 45 year old Belarussian Aleh Konanaw who has been in charge since June 2008. It is his first role as Manager, having been an Assistant at other clubs in the past. Their squad is predominately made up of Ukrainians but they also have a mix of Brazilians, Spanish and other nationalities. They have a few players who have represented their country including Estonian striker Sergei Zenjov who has played 15 times at international level, scoring 4 goals (most recently against Italy in a Euro 2012 qualifying group).

A view of the city of Lviv

The City

Lviv, also spelt Lvov or Lwow, has a population of 760,000 mainly made up of Ukrainians, Russians and Polish. There are many ways to get around the city including buses, trams and railways. A lot of the tourist attractions are based around the deep history the city has to offer including cathedrals and castles. Their city motto is the Latin term ‘Semper Fidelis’ meaning ‘Always Faithful’, a term familiar to Sligo Rovers Ultras group ‘Forza Rovers’ who have used it in a previous display.

Getting There

Lviv has an international airport but no direct flights from Ireland so you will either have to get a connecting flight from somewhere (Prague, Munich, Vienna and others) or travel overland. With Lviv relatively close to the borders of Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, travel by air and then a forward journey by rail and road are other options.

Cost

The Ukrainian currency is known as the ‘hryvnia’ or ‘grivna’. Do not expect to be able to use a credit card anywhere except upscale stores, hotels and perhaps some restaurants. Life in Lviv is very cheap; it's not difficult to find a place where you can have a full meal for 2 euro. A bottle of beer in a supermarket will cost around 30cent but a beer out in a pub or club at night is likely to cost between €1.30-€2.60.

Useful Phrases

Hello - Вітаю (Pronounced Vitayu)

Thank you - Спасибі

How much is that? - Скільки це?

Hit it Danny - вдарив його Денні

This is the worst trip, I’ve ever been on - Це найгірший поїздки, я коли-небудь був на

Maurice Mourinho - Моріс Моурінью

Are you going for a pint Joe? - Чи збираєтеся ви за пінту Джо?

Get that one going in the stadium later on - Отримайте що один буде на стадіоні в подальшому

Springa Dinga Ringa - Виконати дзень виклику

I’m the hardest working man in Ireland, I’m a craftsman - Я самий працьовита людина в Ірландії, я ремісник

I HOPE TO ADD MORE CLUBS OVER THE COMING DAYS