Vienna is an amazing city, overflowing with culture and history - and a bit of soccer!
We arrived in the city just after noon and dispersed for city walking, museums, an opera house and palace tours. Of course, some went in search of gifts and other gear. To wander the streets where some of the world's greatest cultural, artistic and intellectual contributions were born is truly an amazing and humbling experience. I hope our players felt the same.
We met up at the museum center at 4pm to catch the bus to the FK Austria Wien grounds. After some wait, and tasty spit-roasted pig head, the decision was made to ditch the bus in favor of the subway. We cleaned the picked over swine skull, devoid of all meat besides brain and tongue, tossed it in the trash and headed to the subway station. Once we sorted out the name of the stadium we figured subway and tram transfers, got tickets, and headed for Vienna's underground.
Along our journey there were a few clad in purple FC Austria Wien jerseys, the nearer we got to the stadium the more purple we saw. Walking up the hill from the packed tram the stadium we turned the corner and found a true European environment. Inside the stands, The Supporters were alive and well equipped with "Soccer-Holics", "Fed Aym", "Fanatics", "Bulldogs" and other large banners, flags, drums and two hooliganish leaders with microphones. The Supports stood, sang and chanted for the entire match, only to take brief cigarette breaks. Any whistle against their team drew moans, shouts and whistles. It was a proper European soccer environment. The first half was average, with the only real action a red card for the home team. Down to ten men, the hosts conceded a goal and The Supporters fell silent for a brief spell, finding a second breath with their team on the attack. In the 88th minute, FK Austria Wien leveled, The Supporters went nuts! Just into injury time, the hosts scored again. The Supporters discarded their shirts, lit flares and created every sort of ruckus short of imprisonment. Our players were soon pressed against the fence, pounding the metal and mimicking the locals. The final whistle drew even more song and chants out of The Supporters section.
It is an amazing experience for the players to get a taste of the passion and support in a true club.
After the game, we spent nearly the balance of the day (and loads of cash) in the fan shop, followed by a wiener schnitzel dinner hosted by FK Austria Wien and the assistant coach in the clubhouse. We then boarded the bus for hotel in Bratslavia.
Another day of fantastic cultural and soccer education comes to a close, leaving a single day of soccer ahead before departing for the states.
