January start for Hickersberger
Monday, October 24, 2005
Article summary
Josef Hickersberger will begin work as Austria coach on 1 January 2006 after his current employer SK Rapid Wien agreed to release him from his contract.
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Compensation
As part of the deal reached by the two parties, the ÖFB will compensate Rapid for loss of income from sponsorship due to the coach's departure, while Rapid will allow Hickersberger to walk away from his contract which expires next summer.
Statement last week
After the ÖFB had named Hickersberger as its No1 candidate to replace the outgoing Hans Krankl, the 57-year-old stated last week that he would relish the challenge of guiding the national team to UEFA EURO 2008™. "I would like to see out my contract with Rapid and switch after that, but I don't know if that is possible," he had said.
World Cup appearance
He has now been given leave by UEFA Champions League contenders Rapid to take the Austria reins for a second time, having steered his country to the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals before resigning in September 1990.
International pedigree
Hickersberger, who was capped 39 times by Austria between 1968 and 1978, including at the Argentina World Cup, won two Bundesliga titles as a player with FK Austria Wien and then one with Rapid. He subsequently coached the national Under-21s before taking charge of the senior team in 1988. It is to that job he returns.
