Austria’s team didn’t let anything burn in Kazakhstan and one confident 2-0 win retracted. Despite a second half in which not everything was perfect. “We weren’t as focused with the ball anymore, but I don’t want to be too strict this time and I want to forgive the team a little for that,” said Ralf Rangnick after the game.
Not to be too harsh about the story that had already dominated the headlines for the past three days? Rangnick says no. It’s more about that accompanying circumstances with the long flight, the time change and the freezing temperatures. The Power struggle in the ÖFB and the battle for managing directors Bernhard Neuhold I never let him doubt that his team could give 100 percent in Almaty. “One has nothing to do with the other. The team has been very concentrated, very focused and very attentive in training over the last few days.”
Also Michael Gregoritsch had no doubts about it. They were aware of the danger of initially speaking publicly about things that are outside the players’ competence and then perhaps not delivering. “That would be like fuel for a fire,” said the 30-year-old, who above all Team routine leads to the meeting.
“There are players who have played a lot of international matches, have big clubs in their CV and then we can do it well together,” said the goalscorer on the 2-0 win. “If you also get one from the coach good plan If you get what you need to pay attention to, then it’s no longer a big deal to focus on the game.”
“If one of us is attacked, we stand behind it”
Sounds easy. But in fact it’s not quite like that. There are quite a few many puzzle pieceswho fit together in the national team during these times. One of these puzzle pieces is Bernhard Neuhold. “We are a very close-knit group and that’s it not just the playersthat’s 50, 60 people. This includes everyone from the staff, including Bernhard Neuhold. If someone tries to take one of our group away, the others will of course become very angry. If one of us is attacked, we all stand behind it.”
College Konrad Laimerwho captained the team in Almaty, agrees. “A topic has come up that we as a team have to have something to say about it,” says the Bayern legionnaire, who is now one quick reaction from the ÖFB expected. Laimer sees the national team as a driving force that shows the way for the football association. “I hope that decisions will now be made as quickly as possible so that Austrian football can get where we want to go, step by step. Where we as a team have been setting a certain direction for the last few months and years.”
It is clear to the players: they expect Bernhard Neuhold to stay. And without restrictions in its function as CEO of ÖFB Wirtschaftsbetriebe GmbH. And not in a demoted position, such as team manager, like president Klaus Mitterdorfer placed in the room. The team council has this David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic, Marcel Sabitzer and Konrad Laimer clearly communicated this to the ÖFB leadership.
Gregoritsch emphasizes: “I expect that the team that has brought this ÖFB very far in the last two and a half or three years – including the 2021 European Championship – will also be heard. Our circle is inviolable. We want it to stay that way for as long as possible so that we can all have great fun and celebrate festivals like we did in the summer again.”