The club FK Austria Wien holds 50.1 percent of the AG, the investors 49.9 percent. The AG is responsible for professional football, i.e. the first team. The supervisory board consists of nine members, five of whom are appointed by the club, including the president Kurt Gollowitzer Four come from the investor group and are confidants of Jürgen Werner, including the former ice hockey star coach Ralph Krueger (Chairman) and the former team player Sebastian Prödl. Jürgen Werner himself is not only one of the investors, but also the sports director.
- Supervisory Board and Sports Board
The supervisory board can dismiss the sports director, but the sports director can propose his successor. According to KURIER information, this is stated in the syndicate agreement, which Jürgen Werner agreed. If the club wants to get rid of him, then he still has a say.
They hold 49.9 percent of Austria and consist of two groups. On the one hand, the Viola Investment GmbH with donors who care about the Violets. Among them is team captain David Alabaformer Vice President Raimund Harreither or former president Frank Hensel. They hold 60 percent of the volume. The other 40 percent are in the hands of the investor group “WTF” around Jürgen Werner, which initially only held 32 percent, but received a further eight from an English company that was introduced to Austria by the father of former player James Holland.
And Jürgen Werner Austria had to make some contractual concessions because Austria had lent its aid at a time when insolvency was looming. Conversely, the club has had the option since February to buy back the invested shares of WTF with a hefty interest rate by the end of the year. This would require up to eight million euros, money that Austria does not (yet) have. Unless the desired Stadium sale (around 45 million) will be completed on time.
From January 2025, the WTF can again acquire the shares of Viola Investment GmbH with a five percent interest rate, even if they refused. Long live the Syndication contractThis could give Werner and his confidants more influence over Austria. A scenario that would give some people in leadership positions at the club a headache.
This is also the main reason for the pressure and the rush within the club to find a solution. Club Austria Vienna would like to have more say in the sporting area, the core competence of Jurgen Werner. Time is running out for him. If Austria pays him out, he will have earned money from his investment. If Austria cannot raise the money, Werner will stay in office and will continue to be primarily responsible for the sporting side of things.
And woe betide if the 50+1 rule in Austria, which stipulates that the majority of the professional division must stay with the club, is dropped. Because then Jürgen Werner and the WTF that privilegethe necessary 0.2 percent on the majority and the power over Austria kaufen.