Upper Austrian Scheiblehner appointed GAK head coach after 0‑8 loss
On a chilly Monday evening at the Graz stadium, Gerald Scheiblehner stepped onto the touchline as the newly appointed Cheftrainer of Grazer AK, the Upper Austrian coach tasked with reviving a side still reeling from a 0‑8 defeat the previous week.
The Bundesliga club announced the change on Montagabend, confirming that Scheiblehner replaces Ferdinand Feldhofer, who was dismissed a Woche after the 0‑8 Niederlage against SK Rapid. APA/GERD EGGENBERGER Graz reported that the decision came after the Grazer’s heavy loss, prompting the club to act swiftly. The Bundesligist emphasized that the move aims to stabilise the team ahead of the next fixtures.
Interim coach dismissed
Als Interimstrainer, Joachim Standfest had overseen one Partie for the roten Teufel, the nickname of the Grazern side. He was also released from his duties, ending his brief spell with the club.
Scheiblehner signed a contract that runs until summer 2028, securing his long‑term vision for the club. He brought co‑trainers Daniel Rozsa and Toni Mestrovic, while the former assistants Jacob Swersina and Anton Maderbacher were also let go. The new Trainer team will focus on developing each player and building a character‑strong squad.
The Oberösterreicher returns to the Bundesliga after four years at Blau‑Weiß Linz, where he achieved promotion in 2023 and reached the Meistergruppe in the 2024/25 season. Last year he accepted a short‑term role with Grasshoppers Zürich in Switzerland, which concluded prematurely in March. Für den Oberösterreicher bedeutet das neue Engagement die Rückkehr ins heimische Oberhaus.
New coach outlines vision
"Our goal is to make every individual player better and to forge a character‑strong team," Scheiblehner said at his press conference in Graz. "GAK stands for hard work, and that must be felt on the pitch," he added.
Interim Sport Director Andreas Lienhart stated, "His ideas of active and intensive football match our own, and the conversation made a shared vision clear." President René Ziesler stressed, "Die Entscheidung war schnell, aber vor allem fundiert, und Der Scheiblehner bringt die Expertise, Entschlossenheit und Energie, um mit unserer Mannschaft die nächsten Entwicklungsschritte zu gehen."
Scheiblehner’s first challenge arrives on Saturday at 17:00, when the Grazer host WAC in a Bundesliga home match.