Ralf Rangnick
Photo: IMAGO/GEPA pictures/Armin Rau
He may not be the most popular of the big German football coaches – with stints at Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. But it turns out to be one of the most stable: Ralf Rangnick, 65, remains an uncompromising believer – even in Austria, where he has been in charge of the men’s football team since May 2022. The Swabian ÖFB team boss took action two days ago and removed three players SK Rapid Vienna from the squad for the upcoming international matches in Slovakia and against Turkey. Guido Burgstaller, Marco Grüll and Niklas Hedl will not be on the pitch.
The men’s national players are at the center of a derby scandal that is as embarrassing as it is disgusting: On February 25th, Rapid Vienna clearly defeated their city rivals Austria 3-0. Because it was the Green-Whites’ first derby win against the Austria-Veilchen since 2019, it wasn’t just the fans in the West Stadium at home who went crazy after the final whistle. Rapid managing director Steffen Hofmann called the opposing fans “Oaschlecha” in the excitement of victory. The assistant coach and five Rapid players happily joined in with various homophobic chants from their supporters.
The Austrian Football Association reacted with harsh punishments: Two months suspension for the managing director, three months for the assistant coach, one to five game break for the players. In the national team, the Rapid Kickers can still hope to take part in the European Championship despite being disinvited. Ralf Rangnick said, however, that he expected more than just lip service: “Everything else depends on the boys showing what they really think and where their attitudes are.”
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