Ralf Rangnick’s time at Manchester United didn’t exactly last long but he is now proving his doubters wrong with Austria at Euro 2024.
Manchester United turned to Ralf Rangnick back in 2021, making a rather surprise move to bring the German to Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit left United needing a replacement in the middle of the season – a notoriously difficult time to land long-term managerial appointments.
United instead went for Rangnick, appointing him as a caretaker boss with the possibility of a role on the recruitment side of the club at the end of the 2021-22 season.
Rangnick famously stated that United needed open-heart surgery to get back on track, calling for major changes throughout the club.
After winning less than 38% of his games at the club, Rangnick moved on and didn’t stick around win the recruitment picture once Erik ten Hag arrived.
Gary Neville verdict on Ralf Rangnick’s Austria
Rangnick didn’t have to wait long for a new opportunity.
Austria handed Rangnick a first shot at International management, bringing him in to replace Franco Foda having failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Rangnick has done an outstanding job with Austria, qualifying for Euro 2024 just behind Belgium in Group F of the qualifying phase.
Just one defeat in eight during qualifying left Austria as something of a dark horse at Euro 2024 – and they have lived up to that billing.
Austria narrowly lost to France in their tournament opener before beating Poland and the Netherlands to finish top of their group.
Now heading into the knockout stages against Turkey, Austria have made themselves into a team nobody really wants to play right now.
Pundit Gary Neville has now offered his view on Austria and Rangnick whilst speaking on ITV.
Neville feels that Rangnick has his team ‘well set up’ and believes that Austria are playing as a ‘real collective’, even hailing them as one of the best teams in the tournament in terms of organisation.
The former United defender added that Marcel Sabitzer – who spent time on loan at Old Trafford in 2023 – is doing a ‘great job’ on the left side of the Austria midfield.
Neville really didn’t want to see England meet Rangnick and Austria in the next round of the tournament, offering praise for how Rangnick’s side is ‘really aggressive’.
“They’ve been well set up,” said Neville. “They look like they’re a real collective. They’re probably one of the best teams so far in terms of how they’ve been organised. They haven’t got any stars – even Sabitzer, who came to Old Trafford, he’s playing off the left, doing a great job for them. They push up the pitch, really aggressive and at one point, it looked like they may play England on this side of the draw and they may still, but I wouldn’t have wanted them in the second round because they could have been really awkward,” he added.
Austria’s potential route to the final
United fans were probably left stunned when Bayern Munich seriously considered appointing Rangnick as their new boss.
Rangnick rejected that move to continue his journey with Austria and he could even end up in the Euro 2024 final only two years since his United exit.
Austria meet Turkiye in the last 16 of the competition, a tricky game but one which Rangnick will go into with major confidence after defeating the Netherlands.
A win in that tie would set up a quarter-final clash against either Romania or the Netherlands.
Having already beaten the latter, Austria would back themselves to pick up a result and head into the semi-finals.
That would then see them meet one of England, Slovakia, Switzerland or Italy and you can be sure that Rangnick and co are not scared about any of those teams.
Austria are really gathering momentum right now and Rangnick could be set for a rather special summer as he continues to impress after his United departure.