SK Sturm Graz players Jürgen Heil and Albert Vallci revealed during a live podcast recording that they would choose alternative careers such as unemployment or sanitation work rather than joining local rival GAK, Ligaportal reported. The remarks were made during BlackFM Volume #222 at the Scherbenkeller am Lendplatz in Graz, where the defensive pair discussed the club’s mounting injury crisis, a packed upcoming fixture schedule, and the rapid valuation of teammate Luca Weinhandl.
Sturm Graz Injury Crisis Deepens Ahead of Austria Wien Match
Sturm Graz faces severe roster constraints ahead of their upcoming Bundesliga fixture against Austria Wien on Saturday. Sportchef Michael Parensen has dealt with a succession of setbacks, highlighted by Otar Kiteishvili’s recurring calf injury sustained on international duty with Georgia. Joining Kiteishvili on the injury list are Mamageishvili, also returning hurt from Georgia; while Arjan Malic suffered a ligament tear during his appearance for Bosnia, and Jakub Rozga picked up a muscle injury in the Polish camp. Previous absences including Jatta, Soglo, Weiper, Vallci and Grgic further strain a group facing nine matches in a single month. Vallci acknowledged the numerical strain, stating that eleven players remain available despite his own lack of full match fitness.
Record Valuations and Transfer Speculation Surrounding Luca Weinhandl
Midfield talent Luca Weinhandl has drawn intense market attention, with the 17-year-old commanding a 15 million euro valuation that makes him the most valuable player in the Bundesliga, according to Ligaportal. Recent reports link the teenager with clubs including FC Arsenal and prospective transfer fees exceeding 20 million euros. While acknowledging Weinhandl’s rapid rise and on-field quality, Heil expressed reservations about the accelerating financial scale of modern football economics. Heil and Vallci contrasted today’s hyper-valued youth market with their own early careers in the Regionalliga Mitte, where they faced each other in a match between Lafnitz and Hartberg before meeting in stadium cafeterias.
Paul Koller Leads Squad in Social Media Followers
Away from the treatment room and transfer market, the podcast touched on lighter dressing-room dynamics, identifying Paul Koller as the squad’s leading social media personality with 103,000 Instagram followers. Vallci and Heil joked about Koller’s frequent disclaimers regarding a Mercedes vehicle that often appears in his online posts. The lighthearted tone extended to speculation over a hypothetical approach from crosstown rival Grazer AK (GAK), prompting Vallci to joke about unemployment and Heil to suggest joining the municipal waste disposal department. Sturm Graz will host GAK in the 204th duel between black and red on October 18, with the fixture already sold out.
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