Before Sturm fights for the starting victory in the championship group at Austria Klagenfurt on Sunday (2:30 p.m.), captain Stefan Hierländer spoke to the “Krone” about his future. The all-rounder’s contract expires at the end of the season. Where the journey is headed seems to be clear. Opponent Klagenfurt, on the other hand, raises “allegations of espionage” against the people of Graz.
Stefan Hierländer played 42 games for the Carinthians from 2008 to 2010 and was even the very young captain of Klagenfurt at the time. Sturm’s midfield all-rounder, who was in the starting line-up for the first time in the spring in last Thursday’s 1-1 draw in Lille, takes his hat off to his former club. “They have a great team structure, stable defenders, a combative and playful midfield with fast men on the wing. And they’re hard to catch at the front,” enthuses the 33-year-old. Hierländer’s contract, long a legend under the clock tower with 269 games for the Blacks, expires after this season. “As of now it looks good that I will extend for another year.” Curious: “Hierli” no longer has a manager. “That’s rare in our business. But I also negotiated my last contract myself – it’s just more direct,” said the captain. “We are in final discussions, things are looking very good. Maybe we can announce something soon,” says sports director Andreas Schicker, who has to shake his head at a report from Carinthia. A Sturm man is said to have spied on the Pacult team’s training several times. “We certainly don’t send employees across the country to observe training sessions.”
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