The decision of Wolfsberger's board to not give their managerial job on a full time basis to caretaker Robert Ibertsberger was widely seen as harsh at the time, with the Wolves improving a great deal under him.
However, their decision to name Christian Ilzer their new boss proved to have been a master stroke over time, as the Wolves went on to enjoy a superb league campaign, had no major ups and downs over the course of the season and ended up finishing third, which means a place in the group stage of the Europa League next season.
What will please the Carinthians' fans even more than their league finish is the manner in which their side got their results. Wolfsberger became synonymous with a dull physical brand of football over the recent years, but it has been a completely different situation under Ilzer, who got the side to play an eye-catching attacking-minded brand of football and got good results doing so.
Unfortunately for the Wolves, the success of their boss has not gone unnoticed. Several big Bundesliga clubs are reportedly interested in signing Ilzer and there is a big question mark over whether he will still be in charge next season.
While bigger than several other sides in the league, the Wolves should not be expected to battle against the drop even without Ilzer, but it is definitely hard to see them repeating the campaign that they have had.
