With the eighth place in the team competition in Klingenthal, the start of this season was everything but good for the Austrians, but in the last competitions the jumpers could show an upward trend, that gives the new head coach reason for optimism.

"Our goal is to be in top shape for the 4-Hills-Tournament and we are on the right track. We will be in our best shape at the highlights", Heinz Kuttin said in an interview with the Austrian newspaper "Kronen Zeitung". For the coach, the strength of the others is one reason why the results of his athletes could not meet the expectations of the public until now. "I was surprised by how compact the field is. Seven teams are jumping extremely well. We will see many different winners this season."

The only two athletes, who could show very good performances so far this season were Michael Hayboeck and Stefan Kraft, who also impressed Heinz Kuttin. "It is astonishing how good they are. For me it's only a matter of time until they have the necessary luck to show two top jumps in a competition. They have to continue to train hard and just let it happen. But also Andreas Kofler showed great progress."

The veterans Gregor Schlierenzauer and Wolfgang Loitzl, and last season's 4-Hills-Tournament winner Thomas Diethart are still, more or less, struggling with their shape. "Gregor gets in his own way sometimes. He has not found the trust yet, that he just lets good things be good. But the results are very, very positive. He achieved all of them without top jumps. Thomas Diethart is competing in the first weeks of the season for the first time. It's difficult for him to deal with all the expectations. He is not relaxed enough to show the good jumps in the competition. Wolfgang is somehow in a state of slumber. I expect more from an older, experienced athlete. He has to show that."