Rapid new start for Rapid Vienna: Stöger brings a breath of fresh air!

Rapid new start for Rapid Vienna: Stöger brings a breath of fresh air!

In Vienna, a fresh wind is blowing at the foot of the Hütteldorfer Weststadion: On June 27, 2025, Rapid Vienna hired a new head coach, Peter Stöger, whose return is celebrated by many as an emotional moment. Stöger, a child of the club, comes back with extensive experience from his time in the Bundesliga and describes Rapid as a club with “incredible appeal” and great potential for a successful season. His return is more than just a professional move for him; It is a matter of the heart that also generates great respect among the rivals from Austria. He will be supported in his new role by Thomas Sageder, and fans are excited to see what impulses the new era will bring. The focus is particularly on the sporting development in the coming weeks, which could be crucial for a return to success after last season was saved with a win against LASK and qualification for the European Cup, as 90minuten.at reports.

But it's not just the coaching team that faces challenges. The association also has to set a political course. There will be a general meeting in November, including a presidential election, and the decision in favor of Stöger will be evaluated by then. A successful start to the season could take a lot of pressure off the shoulders of the club's management and ensure calmer waves during the election process. There is currently a general meeting scheduled for next Monday, at which the last three places on the election committee will be filled. This committee, consisting of a total of six members, has a significant influence on the approval of lists and candidates and could thus have a decisive influence on the course of the association in the future.

Growth through healthy changes

The members of the election committee include former advisory board members. Michael Krammer, the former president of Rapid, was elected to the committee by the Economic Advisory Board and would like to contribute his extensive experience to ensure a harmonious political phase before the elections. Together with Hans Arsenovic from the Sports Advisory Board and Agnes Streissler-Führer from the Organization Advisory Board, they add valuable perspectives to the committee.

Peter Stöger emphasizes that despite the pressure caused by the fans' high expectations, the team has potential. In order to do justice to this, a common list is being sought in order to avoid an election campaign and to strengthen the focus on football. The club should sail calmly and clearly in this important phase.

The role of the coach in professional football

In this context, the role of the trainer cannot be ignored. Matthias Sammer emphasizes the crucial importance of a coach for the satisfaction and motivation of the players, which is of central importance for the success of the team. He criticizes the fact that transformational leadership styles have so far received insufficient attention in sports psychology. However, empirical results show that such leadership approaches can significantly increase performance, which underlines the challenge for Stöger and his troops, as Bisp-Surf documents. Stöger's task will be to bring the team together on both a sporting and a character level in order to pull the cart out of the mud.

Overall, the new season will be a crucial phase for Rapid Vienna. With Peter Stöger at the helm and a strategically well-positioned election committee, a turnaround could be brought about that would lead the club from Hütteldorf back to its former strength. The fans can look forward to the developments in the next few weeks and hope for a successful return of the traditional club to the Champions League, which is long overdue.