Champions League: Konrad and the San Siro scandal
On September 28, 1994, Konrad was the main protagonist in the first away game in a group stage of the Champions League from Salzburg’s point of view in Milan. A full water bottle from the auditorium hit the goalkeeper of SV Salzburg on the head in the 40th minute immediately after the hosts made it 1-0.
Despite the incident, Konrad saved himself during the break and tried to continue playing. “A 0:1 could be caught up in our Greek phase,” recalled the 58-year-old, who celebrated his birthday for the “bulls” the day before this year’s “final”, in an APA interview. But it was over in the 60th minute, the bad ones were too big – we went to the hospital. Herbert Ilsanker took over and Milan finally achieved a 3-0 win.
compromise as punishment
The bottle throw also had an aftermath for Milan – and would have meant the end of the group phase for the American defending champion of the premier class. Almost because the punishment for the Italians finally consisted of a compromise. The points of the 3-0 victory were stripped from Milan, but not the goals. There was no criminal verification. In the end, the star ensemble only made it into the quarter-finals because of the better goal difference compared to Salzburg.
“Such a judgment would no longer be possible today,” said Konrad. “You can see that Milan’s influence was very, very big back then. An end would have been disastrous for them. ”Milan boss Silvio Berlusconi, then Italian Prime Minister, accused him of acting. “Whatever people tried to blame me for was tough.” He would hold grudges but none. “Historians would say: That was in the past millennium.”
Konrad trusts Salzburg coup
In this millennium, the Salzburgers need countable again in Milan in order to overwinter in the European Cup. As in the previous season, with a win it goes into the knockout round of the Champions League, if the “Bulls” get at least one point, it goes on as a consolation in the Europa League. In any case, Konrad gives Salzburg good chances. “I wouldn’t completely rule out Salzburg being able to win in Milan as well – although the task is quite daunting,” said the 58-year-old.
Salzburg is still a bit of a grab bag, according to the former team goalkeeper. “But they have endured more than one baptism of fire in witches’ cauldrons. I don’t see them dropping their knees away from home, even if it’s a young team.” Konrad doesn’t believe in Salzburg’s “offensive fireworks” from the first minute. “They will proceed in a more controlled manner.” In this regard, a further development is recognizable. “They used to play great, but got three goals and lost. Now they have types of players who can hold 0-0 once in a while.”
“Homemade” goalie as a trump card
In addition, there is a goalkeeper in Philipp Köhn, who not only convinced in the previous week in the 1: 2 against Chelsea. “The next step would be to be able to secure them an extra point or two,” said Konrad. “That’s what a goalie needs at that level. At the age of 24, you can demand that too.” The Styrian native did not want to overstate the fact that Milan’s French star goalkeeper Mike Maignan is missing due to a calf injury and will be replaced by the 36-year-old Romanian Ciprian Tatarusanu until the World Cup.
It took a long time before Red Bull “brought out a goalie themselves and didn’t buy it” in the form of the Swiss Köhn, Konrad recalled. Predecessors like Peter Gulacsi and Alexander Walke were partly already finished players. Alexander Schlager left the ship before his breakthrough. “The focus seems to be more on the outfield players. Köhn could be the first one that can be sold accordingly. ”But goalkeeper is a tricky position in which you can not experiment much.
Konrad generally praised the development work in the club, which is now self-supporting through transfer earnings. “The foundation is really excellent. You have an incredible touch, you have to take your hat off to that. But it has to work with that kind of effort.” One shouldn’t forget the millions that Red Bull have already invested in football in Salzburg. “That’s the basis for the club being able to do business like this now.”
Sharing the excitement used to be easier
However, the identification of the fans falls a little short in the business model – not least because of the fluctuation in the personnel sector. “Red Bull is primarily about developing players. The many spectators are a positive by-product of that,” said Konrad in a deliberately provocative manner. “Other clubs live for the spectators.”
He is not a Red Bull opponent, emphasized the former long-time goalkeeper of the original Salzburger Austria. However, his emotions are limited. “If Salzburg wins, that’s great for Austrian football and Salzburg football, but I don’t burst into tears. As a real fan you can sympathize more.” That was the case with the Salzburg Violetten in the mid-1990s.
Konrad then worked as a goalie coach himself – most recently in 2013 with the ÖFB team under Marcel Koller. Professionally, however, he has long since settled into project and process management. “This is my world,” emphasized the former member of the Salzburg state parliament for Team Stronach. He may be too much of a family person for further engagements in professional football. The native of Styria last appeared publicly last year on the ORF program “Dancing Stars”.