The South Tyroleans Fabian Lantschner (right) and Adrian Lechl wrote a fairytale with Wacker Innsbruck. © Daniel Schönherr

A South Tyrolean fairy tale: "Wacker is quite special"

After many years of absence, FC Wacker Innsbruck has made the leap back into professional football. Two South Tyroleans played a significant role in this success. We spoke with assistant coach Fabian Lantschner about the rise of the cult North Tyrolean club.

21 May 2026

From: dl

After three consecutive promotions, Wacker Innsbruck is back in the Austrian second division. Fabian Lantschner and Adrian Lechl, both from South Tyrol, have been with the club throughout the entire journey. Lantschner serves as assistant coach and right-hand man to head coach Sebastian Siller, while Lechl is a dynamic force in attack.

Lantschner started at Wacker in 2019 as a youth coach for the U14 team. The 38-year-old from Natz, who has also been a player and sporting director at his hometown club, works full-time in management at a construction management company in Innsbruck.

Wacker Innsbruck (here at the Tivoli Stadium) is back in professional football. © Daniel Schönherr

Lantschner himself discovered his South Tyrolean protégé Lechl, now 21 years old and having scored seven goals this season, during a friendly match for Wacker in Natz in 2023. Before that, the striker from Lüsen played in the FCS youth academy. After the promotion celebration in Mallorca, SportNews I conducted an interview with Lantschner:


Sebastian Siller and you have been in office for over three years: What changes have you made together to achieve three consecutive promotions?

Fabian Lantschner: “We implemented our football philosophy step by step with a lot of patience, developing and adapting it over time. We as coaches also went through a certain development process and grew with the challenges. Sebastian came into coaching as a former captain of a Bundesliga team, while I worked in youth development. But our profiles obviously complemented each other well, and we bonded very quickly. It's also true that the management put together a strong squad every season. But above all, what was crucial was that we established a winning mentality within the team and fostered a positive culture. Sebi Siller was the driving force in every respect; as a coach, he's just like he was as a player – he set the direction and led by example.”


What does your everyday contact and exchange look like?

"The exchange is constant and takes place several times a day. This includes Sebastian and me, but also athletic trainer Marco Wegscheider and video analyst Mathias Voppichler, who do an outstanding job in their respective fields and contribute significantly to the success."

Fabian Lantschner, 38, from Natz, is the assistant coach of Wacker Innsbruck. © Daniel Schönherr

Which is easier: being a youth coach or an adult coach?

"Both roles have their advantages. Being able to work in the adult sector at a club like FC Wacker is something special. Expectations and pressure are naturally present; it's results-oriented sport. It's completely different in youth development. There, the primary focus is on creating the right environment for young players to develop well. The standards are different: How many players make the leap to an academy and perhaps then to the professional level? How many are selected for a youth national team? The result is secondary. Working with young players has always been very fulfilling for me, although I must say I've been very fortunate to always work with very good teams. This has certainly been beneficial for my own development as a coach."

"Adrian Lechl has all the prerequisites for the journey to continue for a while longer." Fabian Lantschner

A brief assessment of Adrian Lechl and his development: How high can he go?

“Adrian Lechl has established himself as an absolute regular starter and key player over the past three years, and has shown impressive development during this time. His footballing talent is undeniable; otherwise, a player wouldn't go through the entire youth system of FC Südtirol and then immediately become a regular starter at FC Wacker Innsbruck, even if they were still in the fifth division at the time. What sets him apart, besides his athletic abilities, is above all his mentality and attitude. No player at FC Wacker has played more games under Sebastian and me in recent years than Adrian. He has provided the most assists and scored many goals for us, especially important ones. He will definitely be with us as we move up to the second division. How far his career can go is difficult to predict. But Adrian certainly has all the prerequisites for his journey to go even further.”


Next year, Wacker will face, among other matches, the West Derby against Austria Salzburg in the second division. What average attendance figures do you expect at the Tivoli stadium?

"The euphoria surrounding the club is impressive; you can feel it in the city. There's a great longing for FC Wacker Innsbruck, a Tyrolean club, to be on the big national stage. I hope this translates into higher attendance figures next season. What I'm particularly pleased about is that so many South Tyroleans are coming to our games again – hopefully, that will continue."

Adrian Lechl from Lüsen was promoted to the second division with Wacker Innsbruck. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Are there any other South Tyroleans at Wacker, for example youth coaches or supervisors?

“Yes, they do exist! Sebastian Federzoni and Christian Cozza work as coaches in our youth teams. Maike Bergmeister is part of the coaching staff of the second women's team, which, by the way, is also playing for the cup title at Tivoli next Monday. In addition, more and more children and young people from South Tyrol are playing in our youth teams. We are receiving more and more inquiries in this regard.”


Final question: Do you still follow the events at your home club, Natz?

“Of course – and whenever time allows, I always enjoy dropping by a home game. I’m also in constant contact with Christian Platzer (Sporting Director of FC Obermais).” Note d. Red.What Obermais has achieved this year is sensational and simply commendable.”