TALKING WITH THE SECRETARY OF FIRST VIENNA
— M. Zaragoza | 25/12/1925 —

Our efforts, aimed at obtaining from the managers who accompany the First Vienna team on their excursion, some statements that might interest our readers, were facilitated by the presence of Mr. Sanmartin, the organizer of the Olympic champions' tour to Europe, who with his characteristic kindness, offered to act as "introducer of ambassadors".

After the required introductions, Mr. Albert, the Secretary of First Vienna, gladly submitted to our interrogation.

*   *   *

—...?

Albert: Injuries to some of our players in the matches played in Belgium and France do not allow us to yet determine exactly what the composition of our eleven will be. However, you can announce that we will form it from the following group of players:

» Ostrizek, goalkeeper; Rainer, Blum (cap.) and Graf, full-backs; Ludwig, Hofmann, Seufert and Kaller, half-backs; and Sziklossy, Höss, Uridil, Gschweild and Bulla, forwards.

» All of them, except Graf and Kaller, are or have been international

—...?

Albert: Against Spain, in Barcelona, ​​as part of the Austrian national eleven, Ostrizek, Rainer, Blum and Seufert played. In Vienna, Blum, Fischer and Gschweild also played against the Spanish team. And apart from these, Uridil has played in Barcelona with Rapid.

—...?

Albert: As reinforcements, we only bring Sziklossy, from Sportklub, and Hoess, from Wiener Sport Klub, although he had played until now for our club.

—...?

Albert: It is difficult to answer his question, since the power of our team does not lie in whether one line, be it attack or defense, stands out from the rest. What gives our eleven the group that brings it so many victories is that it is made up of eleven excellent individuals who have managed to find the indispensable rapport to form a truly magnificent "whole." I don't know Spanish or Catalan football in depth, but I think that no matter how strong Barcelona is, they will find a worthy rival in my team.

—...?

Albert: I have already told you that I have not had the opportunity to personally appreciate the value of Spanish football, since it is the first time we have visited this country and until now, only two Spanish teams have been in Austria: Real Sociedad de San Sebastián and the National Team. However, judging by what I have seen and read and considering the magnificent results obtained by your teams, I judge Spanish football to be of the highest class.

» In speed, momentum and head play, they surpass us unquestionably. On the other hand, in combination play, in football science, I consider you slightly inferior to the Czech, Hungarian and Austrian teams. These circumstances mean that between our players and the Spanish, a parallel is established that places them on the same level. But I also believe that if our footballers had the efficiency, decision and opportunity of the Spanish before the goal, they would hardly be beaten.

—...?

Albert: Without a doubt, the quality of Belgian football is much better than French football. The Belgians are fast, they play with intelligence, they have truly international class individuals on their team. The French, although also very fast, have "less school" on the other hand.

» Among those who were our adversaries in Brussels, in my opinion the best are the left back, the centre-half and among the forwards the outside right and the centre-forward. Of the French, the best is Bunyan, who is English.

—...?

Albert: The "non-amateur" regime that governs Austria has truly delighted us and every day we, clubs and players, are more satisfied with its implementation. And I believe that our example will soon spread and be adopted by all nations that allow even covert professionalism.

—...?

Albert: All our players live from their work and what the clubs give them is only an extra amount (not very large, by the way, since the maximum that a player is paid is 400 pesetas per month) that helps them with their expenses.

—...?

Albert: Before the Congress of the F. I. F. A., naturally, Austria will maintain its views clearly favorable to professionalism and I believe that if not in this one, then in the next one, our theory will be unanimously supported.

—...?

Albert: Currently, in our championship, we occupy sixth place, but with the advantage of having played three fewer games than all the clubs ranked higher than us.

» That is to say, as we have 11 points and the Amateure, current leader, 17, if we win all three matches we will be tied for first place. The remaining clubs in the lead are Slovan, Admira, WAC and Rapid.

—...?

Albert: As I have already told you before, I judge that the value of Czech, Hungarian and Austrian football is at a very similar level. It will undoubtedly be proven that with Sparta, in the last two games we have played, we lost in Vienna by 5 to 3 and tied in Prague by one goal. Against MTK, on ​​the other hand, playing in Budapest, we won by 2 goals to 0, obtaining the same result against FTC. But this does not mean that in our own field we did not lose against these same teams, such is the leveling of forces.

—...?

Albert: We will go out onto the field ready to win and to achieve it we will do everything in our power. And we already know that it is not an easy thing, because we know the power of who is going to be our adversary. And as a good sportsman, I only want the best to win.

We believed the inconvenience caused to our kind guests was sufficient and we thanked them, on behalf of our readers, for their attention.