In office since the turn of the year
© Imago
RB Salzburg plays a season to forget – that has not changed under the new coach Thomas Letsch. The 56-year-old is now in office five games, and his team has not yet won. It is the weakest start of a coach in Salzburg since Red Bull started in 2005. Although the Spanish top teams Atlético and Real Madrid were among the previous opponents, the bulls also disappointed against relegation candidates of the local league. Transfer markets Austrian expert Dorian Schuster explains what has changed under Letsch and why despite the miserable record everything is still in it for the dethroned serial master.
At the turn of the year, Letsch took over the post at the Red Bulls, after which Pepijn Lijnders was released in December (background: on the problems under Lijnders). Since the Austrian Bundesliga was longer during the winter break, the former Bochumer started with two games in the Champions League. There were clear defeats against Real (1: 5) and Atlético (1: 4). This was followed by the trophy against the also troubled LASK (1: 2) and two unsatisfactory draw against WSG Tyrol (1: 1) and Austria Klagenfurt (0: 0).
With a squad value of 145 million euros, Letsch’s team is by far the most valuable in the league. For comparison: This is followed by Doublesieger Sturm Graz with 69 million euros, the two of the Salzburger, Oscar Gloukh (22 million) and Karim Konaté (18 million), which were estimated at the highest, are more valuable than nine of the eleven opponents. There are currently fifth place in the league, the gap to the leading duo Sturm Graz and Austria Vienna is nine points. In four match days, the league is divided into championship and relegation round, six points are seventh in Salzburg before the LASK, the first place, which is no longer qualified for participation in the championship round.
“Now it is time to keep the lead over the relegation group and thus save yourself in the master group. Due to the Austrian system, Salzburg only has four points behind the leaders of Sturm, so a championship title is still possible, ”emphasizes Schuster, Area Manager Austria at the transfer market. As soon as it goes into the championship and relegation round, the points collected are halved and ten more game days are held within them. “But you would have to start scoring, according to which it doesn’t look like the last appearances.”
Letsch’s changes have not yet reached in Salzburg
Letsch’s predecessor Lijnders, who was assistant coach of Jürgen Klopp in Liverpool for many years, took over in the summer of 2024. He won 13 of his 28 games and scored an average of 1.64 points. Especially in the league, he disappointed – seven three of 15 games and fourth place was too little for the expectations of those responsible. However, the changes from Letsch do not seem to be grasped. Schuster explains “Letsch has deviated from Lijdners’ system of a 4-3-3 and now has a 4-4-2 playing. Try to stabilize the defensive, it works more or less. “
Letsch welcomed seven new additions in winter, including the former Bundesliga professionals Yorbe and Karim Onisiwo, who should help immediately. “Trying was aggressively attempted with onisiwo and covering a little more experience from the German Bundesliga. Cutting shows good approaches, but so far there has not been a lot of risk, ”says Schuster. Four goals were scored in the first five competitive games. There is also a problem on the defensive: “Lijnders’ defense chief Kamil Piatkowski was awarded according to Istanbul, instead Valencia reservist Maximiliano Caufriez has been fetched, which has so far noticed rather negatively.”
The pressure on Letsch is big after the bad start, but he doesn’t have to fear his job for the time being. “Letsch’s direct dismissal, especially in view of the eternal adherence to Lijnders, seems very unlikely and would be a fiasco for managing director Schröder,” explains Schuster. However, the next games have it all. This next weekend you will travel to the second in the table Austria Vienna, the following week you measure yourself with leader Sturm Graz.