F.K. Austria was a strong team, one of the main powers of Central Europe and the entire Continent. The team was constantly pointed out by experts as a difficult team to face, even more so when other big names were forming the team over the seasons. However, for what reason, or specific reasons, did Die Violetten not manage to reproduce this same level in the Wiener Liga? Since Kálmán Konrád's departure abroad, the team, which then had Matthias Sindelar as its main name, had only achieved its best position in the 1936/1937 championship: second place, losing the championship to Admira.

F.K Austria's positions, especially in the 1930s when the team was gradually improving, did not correspond to the heights stated by experts. Most of the time, the team was in a final position far from the their true potential. Sometimes even close to being relegated from the championship.


Austrian Championship 1926/27:    7th | 13 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1927/28:    8th | 13 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1928/29:    8th | 12 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1929/30:    5th | 11 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1930/31:    4th | 10 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1931/32:    4th | 12 clubs.
Austrian Championship 1932/33:    6th | 12 clubs. — Mitropa Cup winner.
Austrian Championship 1933/34:    3rd | 12 clubs. — Mitropa Cup round of 16.
Austrian Championship 1934/35:    8th | 12 clubs. — Mitropa Cup semi-final.
Austrian Championship 1935/36:    7th | 12 clubs. — Mitropa Cup winner.
Austrian Championship 1936/37:    2nd | 12 clubs. — Mitropa Cup semi-final.


As much as they haven't won league titles under Sindelar, Die Violetten won three editions of the Wiener Cup — second place three times between 1927 & 1931 — and two editions of the Mitteleuropa Pokal in just five contests; reaching two semi-finals — 1935 & 1937 — and an early fall to Újpest in 1934. Indeed, they were a Cup-winning team.

How can one explain that in 1932/33, 1934/35 and 1935/36 the team that won the Wiener Cup and the Mitteleuropa Pokal — editions 1933 & 1936 — performed so poor for such a league placement? It's simple: almost total change of focus. Unlike the other nations, the Austrian Federation placed a direct spot to the Mitteleuropa Pokal for the winner of the Wiener Cup. Indeed the tournament was the shortest way to acquire a spot in the main continental tournament, even if it was just one-match battles. And the mindset of the F.K. Austria was that they did not have to commit so much to the championship, but focus almost entirely on the Wiener Cup to get to the main tournament.

In such a way, the F.K. Austria became known as a Cup team, as it dedicated its players' performances to such tournaments. Meanwhile, the Austrian championship was viewed with an afterthought. Consequently, the team's true power, its true quality, could not be measured by its championship performances in no parameter aspect.