FRANCE 98 – Austria – Prohaska: “We shouldn't start trying to calculate now!”

Speaking in TOULOUSE :

The Austrian coach, Herbert PROHASKA, gave a press conference at 12.30 pm today at the “Palladia” hotel in TOULOUSE.

What conclusions did you draw after watching the match between CAMEROON (Group B), and DENMARK (Group C)?

There were two completely different scenarios in this game. The first half belonged to a CAMEROON side who were able to knock the wind out of the Danes’ sails by scoring the first goal. But they could have increased the margin if they had been able to raise the technical level of their game. In the second half the game was turned on its head, and JOHANSSON’s men could easily have scored 3 or 4 times.

How many points will you need to get through the first round?

We shouldn’t start trying to calculate that now. Clearly, 4 or 5 points should be enough, but you only have to remember our experience in the World Cup in SPAIN in 1982, where our two first round victories ( 1-0 against CHILE [Group B], and 2-0 against Algeria) weren’t enough for us to qualify for the next round.

Will you be playing with one or two forwards?

That’s not the right question. First we would need to decide whether the team is in an attacking or defensive formation.

But Anton POLSTER (19) has sometimes complained of being isolated in attack?

You know, when a striker scores, he says he has a great team behind him giving him a good service, and when he doesn’t score he says the opposite. It’s a bit like KLINSMANN (18) in GERMANY (Group F). But with Andreas (HERZOG, 10) behind Anton, I think we will have more options. This is because Anton will be in a more attacking position than where he normally plays with Werder Bremen (GERMANY).

Do you think the wet weather in TOULOUSE at the moment will help you?

No. Most of the CAMEROON team play in Europe. We would have to play the game at 4.00 pm in 35º for Claude LEROY’s players to be perhaps more at home than us.