It could have been easy: a quick trip to the regional league team SK Bad Wimsbach, a few autographs and photos – and everyone would have been happy. But that’s not ÖFB team manager Ralf Rangnick.
During the training session, which the regional league team Bad Wimsbach had won in a competition run by ÖFB sponsor Stiegl, one got the feeling as if the team manager was coaching the ÖFB national team.
His assistants, including national team assistant coach Lars Kornetka, demonstrated the exercises, while the team manager kept an eye on things and kept in touch with the young players. There was a special reason why it was already dark when Rangnick made his way home after several hours: there were two different training sessions in total. First it was the turn of the juniors, then the first team. Rangnick’s goal every day is to convey his football idea.
Enthusiastic team leader
“This is real football. It’s like my youth clubs used to be. It looked the same there and smelled like bratwurst.” The players, parents and football fans were enthusiastic. When do you get the chance to be coached by an expert like Rangnick? That was one of the reasons why there was a long exchange of conversation at the end with the SK Bad Wimsbach coaching team around head coach Jürgen Schatas. The extra motivation wasn’t quite enough for victory at the weekend: Bad Wimsbach lost 2:3 in Grieskirchen. But that doesn’t dampen the euphoria. In terms of infrastructure, they would have been ready for the Upper Austrian League long ago. Of course, everyone knows that there is a lot of competition in the West Regional League in the fight for promotion. Thanks to the many duels on equal terms, the fight for the title will remain exciting right up to the end. And maybe the “Rangnick kick” will be the deciding factor for SK Bad Wimsbach in the end.
Author
Harald Bartl
Deputy Head of Sports Department
Harald Bartl
