Rangnick experiences a lot of affection but encounters difficulties.
In Austria, there's an intense football fever going on, mostly due to Coach Ralf Rangnick's popularity. This could bag him more love throughout his career than ever before. Despite facing multiple setbacks, Rangnick is optimistic about a great European Championship taking place in Germany.
Rangnick gave his players their time in the limelight, and then he spent time meeting the fans. In Berlin, he signed autographs for his Austrian national team in front of the massive Olympic Stadium and posed for pictures, grinning from ear to ear. It's his first significant tournament as a national coach, and coming from the neighboring German country, he's receiving more admiration as a coach than he ever did before.
At age 65, Rangnick, the oldest head coach of the tournament, shared his thoughts with "Zeit" magazine. "I've arrived in a unique way as a coach and as a person in Austria. Respect and appreciation have always been present at all my stops. It's no coincidence that the word 'love' is used frequently here." Rangnick will lead his Austrian national team, entrusted by the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB), against Vice World Champion France in the tournament. The team will also compete in group matches against Poland and the Netherlands in Berlin on June 21st and 25th.
Rangnick Knows His Limits
To fully commit to this wholehearted adventure, Rangnick decided to cancel his contract with FC Bayern. "We spent two years getting to where we are now in Austria, and I didn't want to risk that," he told "Kicker." He also knew that handling both roles could potentially jeopardize his health. "I've experienced how it feels to push beyond your limits. I never want to experience that again," he added, in reference to his burnout which forced him to leave Schalke in 2011. Canceling Bayern was one of his "hardest professional decisions."
Being critically observed in Germany at times hurt Rangnick. When he explained four-four-two and pressing on ZDF's "Sportstudio" during the era of four-four-two and pressing in 1998, he earned the nickname "Professor." His work for financially powerful and controversial projects in Hoffenheim and Red Bull didn't endear him to traditionalists.
Despite facing criticism, Rangnick is a significant modernizer and developer. He influenced the style of all Red Bull team's playing, which the Austrian team now also applies: aggressive pressing, a lot of energy, and a direct approach towards the goal. This offers an excellent match with the ÖFB team because many players already understand these concepts from Salzburg and Leipzig. "You can see that the team and the coaching staff fit perfectly together," said midfielder Konrad Laimer from Bayern Munich in an ntv interview.
The Austrian Euphoria Is sky high
The Austrians boast a solid momentum. They proved their unpopularity as an obstacle with test match victories against Germany, Serbia, and Turkey. The team's qualifications were seamless. What makes them so strong? "It's the unwavering willingness to blend into the team, not placing too much importance on oneself and considering the team as family," said Rangnick. Austria's euphoria is unusually high by local standards. So many fans came for a public training session in Upper Austrian Windischgarsten, while the team didn't even get one of the European Championship's tournament venues near the border.
The reputation as a dark horse often indicates a quick elimination, as the Austrian team knows since 2016. In particular, Austria is in one of the toughest groups with France, the Netherlands, and Poland. "If we want to progress through the group, we must play at top level," said Rangnick. "If we manage that and advance, we won't face many tougher opponents after that."
However, there's an injury crisis too. Captain David Alaba (Real Madrid), who sits on the bench, Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig) temporarily loaned to Frankfurt, Sasa Kalajdzic, and the actual first-choice goalkeeper, Alexander Schlager, are all missing. A whole axis is missing. "It's a massive blow, without any doubts. But if the rest of the team remains healthy, we can bring a very strong squad to play," promised Rangnick.
With their pressing machine, the Austrians could take even the giants by surprise. And their group opponents also have some issues with injuries. If Austria advances, it would be interesting to see how such an intense style performs at such a tournament. With many successful nations adopting a considerably more conservative approach lately, Austria might be an outsider to win the European Championship, but they can't be entirely ruled out. "Yes, Austria winning the European Championship seems very unlikely," said Rangnick.
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