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