Ralf Rangnick:

“Didn’t say the situation was easy”

Ralf Rangnick(Bild: GEPA)

In an internal letter last week, the coaching staff and players' council of the ÖFB team had campaigned for Bernhard Neuhold to stay on - the 13-member executive committee nevertheless decided to part ways with ÖFB managing directors Neuhold and Thomas Hollerer. Team boss Ralf Rangnick has now commented on Canal+.

"If there are any further talks, we'll have them internally and then I'll give my opinion and I'm sure the players' council will too. I ask for your understanding, it is an internal letter, we will continue to handle it in the same way," said the team boss ahead of Salzburg's Champions League match against Zagreb. 

Bernhard Neuhold and Thomas Hollerer(Bild: GEPA)

Rangnick added: "I didn't say that the overall situation is easy, but I don't think it will have a direct impact on the team's performance at first. My job as team manager with the coaching staff is to create the best possible working conditions for the players. That also includes planning training courses and trips."

"That's completely sufficient for me"
Neuhold had also taken care of organizational matters concerning the team: "For example, we have the game in Kazakhstan next, fly seven hours there, eight hours back, have a time difference of four hours and have the probably decisive game two days later at home in Vienna against Slovenia. It's important to have people around you who know what it's all about and what's important. That's why we made our opinion clear."

(Bild: GEPA)

The team boss denied rumors that a contract extension was on the cards: "At the moment, the contract runs until the end of the World Cup qualifiers. And if we end up qualifying for the World Cup with Ö for the first time in 28 years, then it will run until the summer of 2026, until the end of the World Cup. That's quite enough for me. That's why I don't see any reason to talk about extending his contract."