A coaching job once held by former Football Ferns coach Andreas Heraf is under scrutiny amidst allegations against the current president of Austria’s national football body.
The president of ÖFB (Österreichischer Fußball-Bund), Gerhard Milletich, faces allegations he has used his honorary position to get advertising for his privately-owned company, Bohmann Verlag.
The Sport.orf site says publisher Bohmann Verlag has annual sales in the tens of millions of Euros, primarily with print publications.
Denying he has abused his position for personal gain, Milletich (66) said: “It’s my job to sell ads; whether they are partners of the ÖFB or not is irrelevant to me.”
Milletich was elected to the presidency last year but faces opposition from regional football leaders.
Tyrol football president Josef Geisler expressed doubts about Milletich, claiming that when he was chairman of the Austrian club SC-ESV Parndorf 1919, he had registered Andreas Heraf as an employee with his publishing company in 2007, and not directly as the coach of the club.
Milletich has denied anything improper about the arrangement with Heraf.
“It was a completely normal employment relationship in the publishing house, everything was correct and legal. Heraf was released for the club, which was nothing more than a sponsorship contribution from the publishing house for the club.”
Heraf stayed at Parndorf only a few months before leaving to join the Austria U-20 coaching set-up.
The ethics committee of the Bundesliga will examine the allegations against Milletich and report back in early 2023.
In 2018, Heraf was appointed as head coach for the Football Ferns. He returned to Europe after a short stint in New Zealand, resigning after complaints against him by players and their representatives.
Heraf was appointed manager at third division German club Türkgücü München last December but he registered as unemployed after the club folded early this year, leaving a trail of debut and unpaid players.
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Main photo: Andreas Heraf. File photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
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