Football - EM in Germany: Rangnik's big goal with Austria

VIENNA (AP) – With association bosses praising him as the savior for all of Austrian football, Ralf Rangnick himself is particularly tempted by Germany’s next big challenge, EM.

The 63-year-old manages the neighboring country’s national team and aims to lead the team around real star David Alaba in the 2024 European Championship final in Germany. If it is successful, the native Swabian’s contract will automatically be extended for two years until the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“It is an honor for me to play the role of team boss,” Rangnik said in a statement to the Austrian Association on Friday. Rangnik was absent from the press conference in Vienna. He is still needed as a coach at Manchester United. After this contract expires, he will also work as planned for the traditional Premier League club, which is becoming increasingly vulnerable. “I am really looking forward to playing my part to help United become a strong force again,” Rangnik said in a joint statement.

Neville criticized the dual role

Former English football star defender Gary Neville has been critical of the dual role of the future. “Can Manchester United’s sporting director or consultant actually see Austrian players week in and week out? And then pick them up for the national team?” asked the former Man United supporter on his Sky Sports podcast.

There is a struggle. The owners of the association did not really believe that the former coach of Red Bull Salzburg could and would take over the Austrian national team. “Months ago it would have been unthinkable for me to bring a person of this kind of reputation to FB,” said sports director Peter Schottel. When he approached Rangnik, he didn’t think the offer could be really interesting to him as well.

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Big hopes for EM in Germany

But it was very clear. With a job in Manchester, Rangnik fulfilled his dream of England, which now has a national team. “I am especially looking forward to the prospect of playing the European Championship in Germany with a success-hungry youth team,” insisted Rangnick, who could also work with FC Bayern’s Marcel Sabitzer, whom he himself made for Leipzig. had directed.

Rangnik will replace Franco Foda, who announced his departure after failing to qualify for the World Cup at the end of the year. But Rangnik doesn’t have much time until his first match as the national coach. It was not without reason that sports director Shotel, who had received confirmation from Rangnik on Thursday and had to turn down four other candidates, spoke of the coming month as going to be very difficult.

Endurance test against world champion France

On 3 June Austria will play against Croatia in the Nations League in Osijek. Three days later the first home game under Rangnik’s management would be the opponents Denmark at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. Another home game and June 10 is more than just a real endurance test for Rangnik, again rival world champions France in Vienna. However, Rangnik will not be available to Austrians until the end of May.

There was speculation since the beginning of the month that Rangnik would be Austria’s national coach. However, an alleged meeting was denied by the association a few weeks back. Rangnik was also in the news as national coach after Joachim Low’s departure was announced last year. He made a name for himself as a coach and performer at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig.

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In December 2021 he took over as interim coach at Manchester United, having previously worked as director of sports at Lok Moscow. In 25 matches with Manchester so far, however, Rangnik has won only ten games, eight games ending in draws and seven losing. The team around superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is at the sixth position in the table.