By Claus T. Kræmmergaard
After losing the first two matches of the Euro 2002 Austria got a new bus driver on their bus before the crucial match against Sweden. That helped.

December is often filled with mysteries and magic, and if you ask the Austrian team that is the case at the Euro 2002 as well.

It is common knowledge that athletes can be extremely superstitious at times. Countless professional athletes have their own series of compulsive rituals, which must be performed before any form of competition.

This is the case on the Austrian national team as well, and according to coach Ole Eliasen, many of the players are very superstitious.

Ole Eliasen believes that in order to do their best the players need the security provided by these rituals.

'Once before Torben (the bus driver) was our driver for 14 days and back then the players liked him very much. After we lost the first two matches we got him to drive us before the match against Sweden. And then we won', Ole Eliasen says.

Naturally, Austria has made sure that the talisman bus driver will be with them at the main round in Arenaen in Aarhus.

It appears that the choice of bus driver can not be discarded as pure superstition, because in yesterday's match against Ukraine, Austria secured a certain victory of 32-19.

It is understandable that the Austrian coach is fighting to keep the bus driver. 'It is given that we are very happy with him, and now we have him for the match against Denmark tonight', Ole Eliasen says with a smile.