Oliver Glasner’s credentials could hardly look any more impressive. Last season, he led VfL Wolfsburg to fourth in the league and the UEFA Champions League berth that goes with it. In 2019/20 they were seventh, and although they did not get beyond the qualification phase of the UEFA Europa League, the stats are still impressive.
The Wolves conceded just 37 goals and kept 14 clean sheets in 2020/21, putting them second in both categories. They were also involved in the most duels in the Bundesliga, winning just over half of them (3,798 out of 7,586).
Glasner likes his teams to remain compact and to take the fight to the opposition – but there is far more to SV Ried’s record appearance maker (568 games) than that. Although he was known for his defensive prowess as a player, he certainly doesn’t neglect the attacking side in his coaching. Winning the ball, preferably deep in the opposition’s half, is normally the signal to bomb forward, and when possession is lost, the only thought is to win it back. Glasner’s teams regularly top the charts in sprints and intensive runs, making them the fittest of the bunch.
Starting in 2015, he combined the jobs of coach and sporting director at LASK and took them back to the Austrian Bundesliga in the space of two seasons. In his four years at the club, the team averaged almost two points a game, with the highlight being the runners-up spot in the league in 2019 and a place in Champions League qualifying.
Welcome, Oliver Glasner!
