SK Sturm Graz

S.K. Sturm Graz is a football club which plays in Austria. It was founded in 1909 and the colors are black and white. Therefore they are nicknamed the "Blackies".

History
The club was founded on 1 May 1909. It was founded by teenagers between 16 and 18. The official foundation of the club was in 1912. From 1921 to 1949 Sturm won the styrian championship 11 times. During German occupation the club played his first season in the highest division, the Gauliga Ostmark, but was relegated the same year. 1949 Sturm entered the national league as first team which came not from Vienna. In 1981 the team had the first success, it finished second in the league and reached the quarterfinals of tne  UEFA Cup.

With the new president Hannes Kartnig a new successful era started. In 1994 Ivica Osim became coach of the team. 1995 they finished second in the league and 1996 they reached their first title, the Austrian Cup beating Admira Wacker. In 1998 they reached the first title. In 1999 they also won the league.

The first time they played for the Champions League, they only got one point against Spartak Moscow of Russia. The second time they played there they reached the 3rd place in the group. In the 1999/2000 season of the Champions League they won the Group D versus Galatasaray  Glasgow Rangers and AS Monaco.

After this success some key players left the club and also coach Ivica Osim. Since 2005 Sturm has had financial problems. Therefore Sturm was forced to play with young players. Under Franco Foda this way was successful, and now Sturm is one of the top four teams in the league. In 2010 they reached the third title and played in the qualification for the Champions League but lost in the play off round against BATE Borisov. 

In the 2010-11 season Sturm Graz reached their third championship. And 2017 they won the Cup.

Current squad

Coaching staff
 Christian Ilzer Headcoach
 Uwe Hölzl Assistant coach
 Dominik Deutschl Assistant coach
 Stefan Loch Goalkeeper coach

Honors
 Austrian Football Bundesliga
 Champions (3): 1998,1999, 2011
 Austrian Cup
 Winners (5): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2010, 2018
 Austrian Supercup
 Winners (3): 1996, 1998, 1999
 Austrian Amateur Champions (1): 1934
 Styrian Regional Champions (11)
 Styrian Cup Winners (9)
 UEFA Champions League (3)

SK Sturm international matches
Q= Qualifying
P= Preliminary
PO = Play-off

Manager history

  Leopold Kruschitz (1945–46)
  Josef Molzer (1946–49)
  Ludwig Durek (1950)
  Franz Czernicky (1951–52)
  Karl Decker (1952–54)
  Janos Gerdov (1954)
  Hans Gmeindl (1955)
  Rudolf Strittich (1 July 1955 – 30 June 1956)
  Josef Blum (1956–58)
  Ludwig Durek (1958–60)
  János Szép (1960–61)
  Otto Mühlbauer (1961)
  August Rumpf (1961–62)
  Lajos Lörinczy (1962–63)
  August Rumpf (1963)
  Rudolf Suchanek (1963–64)
  Karl Adamek (1965–66)
  Franz Fuchs (1966–67)
  Karl Kowanz (1967)
  Gerd Springer (1967–70)
  János Szép (1970–71)
  August Rumpf (1971)
  Adolf Remy (1971–72)
  Karl Schlechta (1972–77)
  Dr. Günther Paulitsch (1977–80)
  Otto Barić (1 July 1980 – 30 June 1982)
  Gernot Fraydl (1 July 1982 – 9 April 1984)
  Robert Pflug (10 April 1984 – 23 September 1984)
  Hermann Stessl (24 September 1984 – 30 June 1985)
  Ivan Marković (1 July 1985 – 12 October 1985)
  Franz Mikscha (13 Oct 1985 – 30 June 1986)
  Walter Ludescher (1 July 1986 – 24 September 1988)
  Manfred Steiner (int.) (24 September 1988 – 31 October 1988)
  Otto Barić (1 Oct 1988 – 30 June 1989)
  August Starek (1 July 1989 – 1 November 1991)
  Robert Pflug (1 Nov 1991 – 1 October 1992)
  Ladislav Jurkemik (1 Nov 1992 – 30 June 1993)
  Milan Đuričić (1 July 1993 – 30 June 1994)
  Ivica Osim (1 June 1994 – 14 September 2002)
  Franco Foda (14 September 2002 – 31 May 2003)
  Gilbert Gress (1 July 2003 – 31 August 2003)
  Mihailo Petrović (1 September 2003 – 31 May 2006)
  Franco Foda (1 July 2006 – 12 April 2012)
  Thomas Kristl (int.) (12 April 2012 – 31 May 2012)
  Peter Hyballa (1 June 2012 – 22 April 2013)
  Markus Schopp (int.) (22 April 2013 – 3 June 2013)
  Darko Milanič (4 June 2013 – 23 September 2014)
  Günther Neukirchner (int.) (23 September 2014 – 30 September 2014)
  Franco Foda (30 September 2014 – 31 December 2017)
  Heiko Vogel (31 Dec 2017 – 5 November 2018)
  Günther Neukirchner (int.) (5 Nov 2018 – 12 November 2018)
  Roman Mählich (12 Nov 2018 – 31 June 2019)
  Nestor El Maestro (1 July 2019 - 25 June 2020)
  Christian Ilzer (1 July 2020 -)

References

Other websites 
Official Homepage (German)

Graz, SK Sturm
Football clubs of Graz
1909 establishments in Europe
20th century establishments in Austria