Overcoming a Global Powerhouse – The Charming Underdog Story of Christian Ilzer’s Sturm Graz
Following a 13-year wait to reclaim the title of domestic kingpins and loosen the Red Bull stranglehold on Austrian football, Sportklub Sturm Graz defied the odds to become a four-time Bundesliga champion in 2024. To lift your country’s elite league title is a privilege for any football team, but to dislodge the superpower of Salzburg – the winner of 14 of the previous 17 seasons – is a feat beyond comprehension to the loyal citizens of Graz.
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The humble background of this admirable outfit has stood tall throughout its history – from participation in German football during the 1940s to marginal defeat against Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup. But, to appreciate this achievement fully, we must digest their unique background before processing what Christian Ilzer and his group have achieved.
Foundation, the Anschluss and National Participation
Founded as a worker’s team in 1909, the team participated in the Styrian championship and enjoyed considerable success in the regional competition. Between 1921 and 1949, Die Schwoazn enjoyed 11 victories and was established as a notable force – cultivating recognisable systems and innovations.
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However, with the outbreak of European conflict, the Anschluss in 1938 saw Austria become part of the German Third Reich. As such, this meant change for Austrian football. The side participated in the predecessor to the famous DFB-Pokal in 1940 – a competition called Tschammerpokal, playing the opening round.
Qualification to the Gauliga Ostmark followed in 1941. However, Sturm would withdraw during the 41-42 campaign and endure relegation the following year. In 1949, four years after the end of World War 2, the side entered the Austrian National League – becoming the first non-Vienna side to do so.
Frustration and Temporary Highs
Following an introduction to their National League, Sturm struggled to replicate their early days of regional success. There was little to celebrate during the 50s and early 60s, with underwhelming domestic finishes denying any form of European representation.
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However, the arrival of Gerd Springer in 1967 brokered advanced professional structures. Under his tutelage, the club were competitive for the following three seasons around players like Damir Grloci and Robert Kaiser. In 1970, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup returned the ultimate surprise with a 1-0 victory against English giants Arsenal, only falling to defeat in the second leg via a largely suspicious penalty decision.
The professional standards bore fruit, with three UEFA Cup appearances as a reward for improved league form and a first appearance in an Austrian Cup final in 1975. The experiences led to a quarter-final appearance in the European Cup Winners Cup during the 75-76 campaign, eventually losing out to Eintracht Frankfurt over two legs.
The Otto Barić Effect
Otto Barić was an Austrian-Croatian professional player turned manager who ruled the sidelines for 43 years across 22 separate appointments. The man from Eisenkappel-Vellach enjoyed two terms at Sturm Graz, with his stint between 1980-1982 providing the side with a unique tilt at the domestic big-time.
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With star names like Božo Bakota, Gernot Jurtin, and Zvonko Breber at their disposal, a final-day capitulation in 1981 handed the title to Austria Wien. Despite the disappointment, the club achieved a league runners-up position for the first time in 72 years. Off-the-field issues led to the tactician vacating his role after 18 months. But the side had grown and was ready to announce that on the grandest stage.
The culmination of this fantastic side led to a UEFA Cup quarter-final meeting with Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest – winners of the European Cup in 1979 and 1980. Despite enduring defeat, it took a contentious extra-time penalty conceded late into the second leg to deny progression to a first European semi-final. Clough noted afterwards the difficulties his side faced against the Austrian underdogs.
Financial Instability and a Focus on Academy
Following the successes achieved in the mid-80s, the club adopted a model of significantly larger transfer fees – attempting to enhance their growth. Poor decisions affected the institution on and off the pitch, with the progress of the previous regime lost. It wasn’t until 1992 – with the installation of Hannes Kartnig as president that fortunes began to shift.
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Kartnig names Heinz Schilcher as manager, with the club attempting to formulate a strategy to defy financial ruin. Between the pair, a decision to abolish unnecessary transfers was made – with a focus on the development of youth. Ivica Osim was appointed manager in 1994.
The Turning Point
Up to now, Sturm had been relatively unsuccessful domestically, and their fondest memories arrived with unexpected tilts in European knockout stages. With the arrival of Osim, a shift in mentality appeared, with the Bosnian harnessing the abilities of the inexperienced crop of youthful stars in his academy.
This exciting group achieved a second domestic runners-up spot during his first season in the hot seat and endured the same misery 12 months later. However, a maiden victory in the 1996 Austrian Cup would prove a remarkable catalyst. Die Schwoazn retained the cup 12 months later before reaching the league summit in the 1997-98 season and finally achieving the promised land.
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During this unforgettable campaign, Sturm remained unbeaten for the opening 12 fixtures and a further 19 later in the season. They would collect a staggering total of 81 points – setting domestic records with both. Much of the success came through the “magic triangle” of Hannes Reinmayr, Ivica Vastić and Mario Haas.
The trio propelled the side to new heights, retaining their league title in 1999, alongside a third Austrian Cup and the Supercup – securing a historic domestic treble alongside an appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
European Exploits
From a European appearance in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1970, Sturm regularly featured in the UEFA and Cup Winners Cup for three decades. The domestic success supplied by Osim was masterful, but the achievement of three consecutive Champions League group stage appearances from 1999 to 2001 was sublime.
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Furthermore, the Group D conquering of Scotland’s Rangers, the Turkish powerhouse of Galatasaray and French football’s Monaco ignited jubilant scenes in the region, with passage to the illusive second stage acquired during the iconic 2000-01 season.
Victories, both home and away, against Panathinaikos were not enough to squeeze past Manchester United and Valencia, but passage to the last-16 went to the final day of fixtures. This memorable campaign remains the side’s last appearance in the group stages of European football’s elite club competition.
Financial Difficulties and Poor Decision-making
Following these historic exploits on the continent, domestic form took a back seat with a disappointing fourth-place finish. With that, the departure of several integral players resulted in poor transfer decisions – with the bulk of the European prize money squandered and little to no attention inserted into the academy.
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The side failed to return to their Austrian throne the following year and also endured elimination from the qualification stages of the Champions League. With supporter frustrations building, the hierarchy decided to part company with Osim after eight years with the club in 2002.
A series of managers came and went in the next three seasons, with the side’s identity diminishing with each passing year and seventh-place league finishes consolidating their top-flight status. 2005 began a challenging financial term for the Austrians, with a bankruptcy petition filed by the authorities a year later. The club was forced to depend on academy players for playing time and sales to keep the lights turned on.
Ironically, global giant Red Bull completed their purchase of Salzburg Sport AG on April 6, 2005, setting in motion a chain of events that would alter the face of Austrian football.
The Dawn of Red Bull Domination
While not enjoying the financial freedom experienced during those memorable Champions League years, Sturm did its best to rebuild on the ideologies of old, focusing on the academy and harnessing younger talent. One constant that has remained throughout their journey was the undeniable support of their passionate fanbase. It was never more evident than during a fourth Stiegl-Cup victory in 2009-10 in Klagenfurt with 25,000 travelling fans – the largest away figure recorded from a different region.
A powerful collection of talented youngsters reigned supreme the following season – earning a third Austrian League title for the loyal support of the Blackies. The victory denied Salzburg a trio of consecutive titles – what would have been a fourth in five seasons.
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Unfortunately, eight years would pass without additional silverware – waiting until 2018 for a fifth domestic cup. In that time, the Red Bull financial powerhouse in Wals-Siezenheim lifted six league titles and five cups – highlighting their utter dominance of the division.
A sense of perennial inevitability was the common topic, with the financial muscle of Salzburg outweighing their rivals and a shortage of ideas to combat their spending power.
The Arrival of Christian Ilzer
Christian Ilzer, a 46-year-old Austrian, arrived in Sturm on 17 July 2020 with fresh ideas and enthusiasm to harness the historical principles of the club. His impact was instantaneous, finishing consecutive league campaigns in second spot and winning the VdF-Fußballerwahl Coach of the Season for his style, energy and tactical nous during the 2022-23 calendar.
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With two years of consistent strategy, he led a talented group to a sixth cup success in 22-23 – with rivals recognising the threat Ilzer had cultivated within the ranks of this heavily supported outfit. This threat excelled in 2024, ending a 13-year drought for a fourth league title after a historic 2-0 victory against Austria Klagenfurt on the final day. It was a fitting ending to an inspiring season – somewhat paying homage to the sides of years gone by that stumbled at the final hurdle.
Furthermore, a seventh Cup success earned a first domestic double since that iconic 1999 campaign. The monopoly of a perennial powerhouse was finally broken by the underdog story of a beloved side – with Salzburg’s hunt for 11 consecutive titles extinguished.
The triumph of this side runs through a midfield diamond, with a strong focus on maintaining structure throughout each fixture. They are well-drilled and understand the concepts of variation between defensive and attacking transitions. Ironically, similar to Bayer Leverkusen’s success over a domestic giant, a reliance on marauding full-backs plays a significant role in the success of this side, with inverted wingers and onrushing defenders overloading the opposition’s defence.
A notable trait of many Austro-German teams is a reliance on pressing hard and high, dictating the terms of play in possession, and forcing your opponent to panic – similar to the ideals of Austrian head coach Ralf Rangnick.
The Future of this Humble Organisation
Having spent time surrounded by those in the club, the mood has improved dramatically under the leadership of Ilzer. Supporters are realistic about the challenge faced by their Red Bull rivals and recognise that it is not long ago that financial struggles and domestic failures existed.
With a mammoth response expected from the newly-appointed Pepijn Lijnders at Die Roten Bullen, a blueprint now exists for effective competition in Austrian football. One supporter advised me about the importance of belief in moving forward. “We need to forget this idea that we are unable to compete with Red Bull,” he said.
“Sturm was the first to shed that mentality, and we got closer and closer. Perhaps – with some good fortune, we took a league title – but there was nothing fortunate about the successive ÖFB Cups.”
It remains to be seen if this one-time worker’s club can maintain the standards that have unexpectedly overcome a global force – but the belief now exists. All the while, the principles of the legendary Ivica Osim are alive and kicking within this community-orientated football club as a future generation begins to write their stories into the ledgers of Die Schwoazn.
By: Shaun Connolly / @shaunconnolly85
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Franz Kirchmayr / Getty Images