F.K. AUSTRIA FEATURED
— Jean Eskenazi | 07/08/1933 —

Every Viennese now swears only by F.K. Austria.

Certainly the stars follow one another in the city of Haydn. They are five to hold the poster in turn: the First Vienna, the Admira, the Austria, the Rapid and already, in the glory a little more dimmed, the W.A.C.

Rapid, for beating Glasgow Rangers and drawing with the great Scottish side in Glasgow, had been very popular.

But one can write without fear of being mistaken that their popularity is nothing compared to that of F.K. Austria, considered the probable winner of the Central European Cup.

We know the draw of F.K. Austria, winner against Slavia in great form by 3 to 0. Winner against Juventus by 3 to 0. Draw in Turin with this same Juventus; these exploits dispense with long commentaries.

It should be added that the people most surprised by these successes were the leaders of F.K. Austria who, in anticipation of a rapid elimination, had concluded a long tour in Norway. The result was, moreover, a pastis of the devil which has only just had its epilogue.

FINALLY BLUM CAME.

These victories coincide with the coming of Pepi Blum as a coach for F.K. Austria, ex-star of European football and who, with Rainer, constitutes a tandem that is difficult to equal in terms of correctness and virtuosity. Blum, thus, for a first attempt, achieved a masterstroke and Hugo Meisl, himself vice-president of Austria, had a particularly lucky hand in finding him and recommending him.

Never perhaps has an Austrian team played better than F.K. Austria.

Slavia in top form we repeat, Juventus in top condition, were ridiculed by the players of F.K. Austria. Sindelar, whom we will present to you soon and who is the genius of the football player, played Caligaris, Rosetta and Monti to such an extent that these, vexed and exasperated, had no other concern than to distribute some kicks on him.

Five French sportsmen, leaders of the Bastidienne, attended the match. They stampeded their feet and confessed that they had never seen football of such mastery executed.

STROH, THE NEW STAR.

There was Binder as a big reveal. But that's nothing next to Stroh. Stroh is the big discovery of the season in Vienna and certainly the best current player in Austria.

Stroh is exactly modeled after Sindelar. Same fine touch on the ball, same feints, same speed. You think of the disarray of a defense struggling with two Sindelars!

Stroh will replace Gschweidl in the Wunderteam. He does not owe it to the decline of Gschweidl, whose career is considered over and who is seeking to leave First Vienna. He owes it to his own merit.

However, Stroh is not the only revelation for F.K. Austria.

Najemnik muzzled Orsi in Turin and proved to be a likely starter for the Austrian team. We know the other stars of Austria: Sindelar, Nausch the most complete player in Austria, Mock, Gall, etc., etc.

Next year, Austria will play in England on this form, we can expect brilliant results from them which will certainly confuse many sportsmen at home, blinded by an often exaggerated Anglophobia.