Ralf Rangnick is a reputed figure across Europe for his managerial spells at some of the top Bundesliga clubs, including Schalke, RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim, and Stuttgart. Also, he has served as Sporting Director at RasenBallsport (RB) Group, overseeing clubs like RB Salzburg, the New York Red Bulls, and Bragantino.
Rangnick’s last notable spell was with Premier League giants Manchester United as their interim head coach before he made way for Erik ten Hag to take over the club. He is currently in charge of the Austrian national team and has taken action against his players for homophobic gestures.
Ralf Rangnick removed which three players from Austrian NT?
The Austrian national team manager, Ralf Rangnick, axed three of their team players out of ‘Das Team’s’ March squad for upcoming friendlies against Slovakia and Turkey during the FIFA international break. This decision followed their involvement in anti-gay chanting, which became the subject of outrage on social media in recent weeks.
The three players, Guido Burgstaller, Marco Grull, and Niklas Hedl, who play for the Austrian club Rapid Vienna, were captured in video clips singing homophobic chants following Rapid’s 3-0 win over city rivals Austria Vienna in the Vienna derby on February 26. Subsequently, the players issued apologies regarding the matter.
The 65-year-old announced the Austria squad for their trip to Slovakia and Turkey, deciding to leave out the Rapid Vienna players from the national team call-ups. This decision highlighted the gravity of the incident, which he stated was intolerable while speaking to the German outlet Sportschau.
He said, “The players must address this issue & understand what it means for people when they are publicly insulted and discriminated against in such a way. That is something I will not tolerate in my team. Everything we stand for with the national team is opposed to the other end of the value scale.”
Austrian national team performance under Ralf Rangnick
Ralf Rangnick has been linked with speculation about replacing Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona in the summer. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has identified him as a suitable candidate. Nevertheless, his focus remains on preparing Austria for the upcoming Euro 2024.
The former United boss took charge of the Austrian national team as their new manager in June 2022 after leaving Old Trafford. He has managed 18 matches as their head coach, securing 10 wins, 5 defeats, and three draws so far.
Rangnick led Austria to secure their spot in the European Championship directly from the Euro qualifiers campaign, finishing second behind Belgium in Qualifiers Group F. They had a single defeat and 6 wins in 8 games, clocking 19 points.
Rangnick’s Austria has been drawn alongside two titans, France and the Netherlands, with a playoff winner set to join them in Group D. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on June 14 in Germany.
