One year before the start of the UEFA European Football Championships™ 2008 and many Austrian football supporters are apprehensive about the future as their national team is still without a win this year. After a long lean run containing four defeats and a draw, 2006 ended with wins against Liechtenstein (2-1), Switzerland (2-1) and Trinidad and Tobago (4-1). But then in the first half of 2007, the Austrian Football Association’s (ÖFB) side under coach Josef Hickersberger were again unable to bag a win. Before the players departed for the summer break, Austria’s results were 1-1 draws in Malta (7 February) and at home against Ghana (24 March), 1-0 defeats in France (28 March) and at home to Scotland (30 May) plus a goalless draw against Paraguay (2 June).

Even so, the mood within the ÖFB squad at the end of the 2006/7 season was better than the series of results. “I’m happy with the nil-nil draw. After all we played against a team that reached the FIFA World Cup™ finals,” said “Pepi” Hickersberger after the Paraguay match. “There was too little movement in the first half and we allowed the opposition to find space. When considering the players we had available, the second half was OK.” The coach was unable to play his best team four days after the 1-0 defeat against Scotland in the Hanappi Stadium in Vienna, which was also the venue of the game against the South Americans. “We didn’t concede a goal for the first time this year. That’s positive,” said Hickersberger.

Goalkeeper Jürgen Macho was given special praise after his eleventh international appearance. “He rescued the draw several times,” explained Hickersberger. The 29-year-old showed his qualities repeatedly when denying Roque Santa Cruz, the former Bayern Munich striker. “We battled hard and gave our all. There can be no complaints. But it was difficult for us as we only had a short time to recover from the Scotland game,” said Macho. Born in Vienna, he is competing with Helge Payer and Alexander Manninger for the No 1 spot in Austria’s goal. Payer played against Scotland, Manninger against Ghana. Macho probably has the best chance of becoming the first choice between the posts at the UEFA European Football Championship™ on home soil. He has already repeatedly staked his claim with excellent performances – like in the 2-1 win against Switzerland, when he was hailed as the match winner in the prestige game between the two hosts of the UEFA EURO 2008™ in Innsbruck last autumn.

Macho has become the regular goalkeeper at the German second division club 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Though he missed out on getting promoted back to the Bundesliga with the long established club this year, Macho appeared in every one of “FCK’s” 34 second division games. In doing so he kept out the highly talented Florian Fromlowitz. Popularly known as the “Red Devils”, club officials are full of praise for their 1.93 meter tall goalkeeper. Malcho arrived in Kaiserslautern when countryman Kurt Jara was still coach there. First choice Tim Wiese was injured and it was already clear he would be going to Werder Bremen. The Austrian took his place in the pecking order behind the experienced Thomas Ernst. He was a team regular from summer 2005 onwards but then a broken arm early on in 2006 halted his progress and opened the way for Fromlowitz.

Afterwards Macho again had to oust the youngster but the keeper is well acquainted with having rivals for the No 1 spot. At his former club Rapid Vienna, he had to take it in turns in goal with Payer, who has been capped eleven times by his country. In addition to the 27-year-old Payer – he is still at Rapid – Alex Manninger is the third goalkeeper in the Austrian squad. The 30-year-old plays in Italy for AC Siena and has appeared in 31 internationals.

Along with Macho, Andreas Ivanschitz was once again one of the side’s mainstays. During the international against Scotland, the captain was at the centre of a great deal of turbulence, which then pre-occupied Austrian football. In Rapid Vienna’s Hanappi Stadium, the 23-year-old became the target of ill-natured attacks by so-called fans. Previously a Rapid Vienna player, Ivanschitz moved to Red Bull Salzburg and it obviously did not go down at all well with a group of Rapid fans. Though now in Athens on the books at Panathinaikos, the forward came in for heavy barracking from some sections of the crowd at the Scotland game. Sickening insults were hurled from the stands, the player was even spat at when taking a corner. ÖFB team-mates, coaches and officials were outraged. Ivanschitz remained quiet and did nothing to stir up further trouble. But against Paraguay some fans showed their support for the captain. “A. Ivanschitz – we with you and you with us to the UEFA European Football Championships™”.