Austria's national team misses out on direct promotion in the Nations League against Slovenia in extremis. Nevertheless, coach Ralf Rangnick praises his protégés - but attacks the association president.
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- Austria's national team misses out on victory in the final Nations League group match against Slovenia and thus direct promotion to League A.
- Coach Ralf Rangnick is nevertheless highly satisfied with his team's performance - in stark contrast to the latest developments in the association.
- After the Slovenia game, Rangnick renewed his criticism of president Klaus Mitterdorfer and made it clear: "I can only say that we have had no relationship at all since the board meeting."
Despite their overwhelming superiority, Austria's national team missed out on a home win against Slovenia at the end of the Nations League group stage - and thus direct promotion to League A. Instead of playing with the best teams on the continent in the new season, the ÖFB selection now has to play against a third-placed team in the A-League in the play-offs.
After the final whistle, coach Ralf Rangnick tried to alleviate some of the frustration with effusive praise for his charges. "For me, it was one of the best, if not the best game since I've been team boss," enthused Rangnick. "I told the team that I was delighted with the game."
Rangnick shoots against president Mitterdorfer
Rangnick, on the other hand, is not at all satisfied with the developments in the association. Among other things, the 66-year-old is annoyed by the imminent departure of ÖFB managing director Bernhard Neuhold, who was dismissed at the end of the year due to a structural reform in the association. President Klaus Mitterdorfer is also partly responsible for this step.
Rangnick repeatedly emphasized that if Neuhold were to leave, a better replacement or at least someone of equal value would have to come in. But: "I don't see a better replacement at the moment," said Rangnick. On Sunday, he also contradicted his president regarding contract negotiations, which, according to Mitterdorfer, are well advanced.
"The president and I have had zero contact for ten weeks, since the board meeting, zero, none at all. And that's why I was very surprised when he said we had a good, close, trusting relationship," Rangnick clarified, adding: "I can only say that we have had no relationship at all since the board meeting."
No threat of resignation
Rangnick does not want to let this get him down, however, and is not considering resigning as a result of the spat. "Nobody would believe that I turned down two concrete offers on May 1 and opted for Austria, that I would consider leaving the whole thing because of something like that," said the ÖSV coach. "Nobody would understand that, and the connection to the team, the staff and also the country of Austria is too extraordinary."
An extraordinary board meeting is scheduled for Friday in Vienna, at which Mitterdorfer will probably confirm Neuhold's dismissal. Rangnick has already announced: "I won't be going there. The one meeting I attended will be enough for the rest of my life."
