When Ralf Rangnick left Manchester United just over two years ago, his reputation could hardly have fallen much.
The 65-year-old was brought in as caretaker manager but has yet to produce the results and performances required at Old Trafford and appears to lack the respect of some of the players, with Cristiano Ronaldo saying he never sees him as a manager.
But on Tuesday in Berlin, Austria’s performance and result against the Netherlands not only showed why Rangnick has earned the title of “Godfather of Gegenpressing,” but also proved that his current players have his full backing.
“When we have the ball, we have players on the bench who contribute very well,” said captain Marcel Sabitzer, whose goal in Austria’s 3-2 win over the Netherlands ensured they topped a group that also included France.
“It feels great to play for this team, I enjoy playing every day with the team and the staff and I would like to stay here for a little longer,” the midfielder added.
From passive and cautious to relentless hunter
The result against the Netherlands was a reward for Rangnick being given time to mold the Austria team into his vision.
Since taking over as national team coach in April 2022, results have been mixed, but over time the team has put in impressive performances, notably a win over Italy and draws with Belgium and France ahead of this tournament.
Austria had won three of their four games before heading to Germany, losing their opening Group D match to France because of an own goal before fighting back with wins over Poland and then one of the pre-tournament favourites, the Netherlands.
On Tuesday, Rangnick’s team played with relentless energy and hunger to win the ball back as soon as it was lost, while the Dutch players looked worn down by their opponents’ enthusiasm.
“We’ve seen clear progress since Coach joined the team,” Sabitzer added.
“Before, I was a little bit more passive with the ball, but I’ve definitely changed that.”
“We’re so strong on the ball now that we all understand that when we lose the ball we have to flip the switch and go after the ball. That’s the biggest difference.”
Tom Middle, host of Austrian football podcast “The Other Bundesliga,” said the current Austria team is a stark contrast to the one under Rangnick’s predecessor, coach Franco Foda.
“Coach Franco Foda will memorably reprimand his players on a number of occasions when their instinct was to go forward and press, so the current style is in stark contrast to the defensive, cautious Austria of the past,” he told BBC Sport.
“The players certainly seem to be respectful. [Rangnick] “Most of the players seem very happy with him at the helm because his style of football is very close to the football they know from their clubs.”
Applying pressure
Statistics also show that Austria were one of the most effective pressing teams at Euro 2024.
According to Opta’s data on “PPDA” (opposing passes allowed per defensive action), Germany is the only team that allows fewer passes before shutting down the opposition.
However, Austria have committed the most fouls at Euro 2024, with 49 in their three matches so far, and their aggressiveness in forcing opponents into a corner has been outstanding.
“You look at Austria and you look at their organisation, both with and without the ball,” former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“It’s very disciplined, every player is on the pitch and knows what is expected of them. The whole team is united, it’s great.”
A manager better suited to international football?
Rangnick has a long and colourful career as a club manager and Manchester United was the 13th team he has managed, but he rarely stayed long there.
But he seems to have found the right environment in Austria.
He was approached by Bayern Munich but turned down the chance to return to club football ahead of this summer’s Euros.
“Ralf Rangnick had become almost a laughing stock by the time he left Manchester United,” said Simon Stone, BBC Sport’s chief football correspondent.
“But when it comes to his history at Old Trafford, history has been kind to the German.
“His oft-mentioned ‘open heart surgery’ was a public delivery of a scathing assessment of the current state of United that he had already given internally and which has proven to be almost 100% accurate.
“It’s no surprise that he’s a successful international manager.
“The lack of international appearances suits his analytical style of watching the game and gives him the time to develop ideas and make plans.”
Can Austria win the championship?
Austria topped a group that also included pre-tournament favourites France and the Netherlands, and it can be said that they need to be taken seriously as genuine contenders to win Euro 2024.
However, Rangnick downplayed his team’s chances.
“I said already a few months ago that I thought it was unlikely we could win the Euros,” he said.
“If someone asked me if I’d completely rule it out, I would say it’s still unlikely, but the players want to go as far as possible and we’ll take it step by step.”
Sabitzer expressed some optimism about Austria’s chances of competing in the tournament.
“Statistics and betting odds have their own language, but we’ve taken the first step,” he said.
“It was a very difficult group but if we go into the knockout stage we can progress.
“We are focused on the next game. We have the ability to beat any opponent.”
All eyes will now be on how far Austria can go.
