British Media: Hoping for England-Austria Semi-Final Clash to Let Rangnick School Southgate

As the UEFA Euro 1/8 finals unfold, British media have been analyzing the dark horse Austria in detail, particularly praising its manager Ralf Rangnick. They are hoping for an England-Austria encounter in the semi-finals, so that Rangnick can give a lesson to Gareth Southgate.

Austria finished the group stage with two wins and one loss, including a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands that sent them to the relatively easier lower half of the knockout stage. Moreover, they were the only team to score three goals in the final round of group matches.

Austria is set to face Turkey in the round of 16, having defeated them 6-1 in a friendly earlier this year. “While knockout stages are different, it might not be unrealistic to say that Austria could make it to the semi-finals. If they do, they could potentially meet England,” the media commented.

The Austrian performance in the group stage has been lauded by the British press, who noted that “Rangnick has relied heavily on players from or with a history at RB Leipzig, where he was once an advisor. His tactics, developed at Red Bull, have been transplanted into the Austrian national team, fostering both individual styles and a resilient attitude among the players, achieving the results Rangnick sought.”

In contrast, Southgate’s England has struggled from the start of the group stage, despite boasting a star-studded squad. Southgate has been unable to unite these stars effectively, resulting in a disjointed team unable to maximize its potential and play with cohesion.

The media concluded by saying that while a semi-final clash between England and Austria is unlikely, they still hope for a meeting in the quarter-finals to illustrate the significance of a manager’s influence, especially in Rangnick’s ability to integrate teams and unlock players’ potential.