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President of ÖFB
The 2: 3 loss to Romania in Klagenfurt on Monday does not change the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) goals for the Nations League. “We want to win the group. We will try to do it with all our concentration and all our strength,” ÖFB president Leo Windtner said on Tuesday.
“League A is the elite of European football”
The doubles at home in Northern Ireland and Romania in October (11 and 14 October) “will set a certain course” in this regard, said the head of the association. He sees the national team prepared for this, especially by pushing players like Christoph Baumgartner, who represented handicapped stars like David Alaba or Marko Arnautovic in the first international matches of the year.
“We will start with new strength in October,” Windtner said. Upper Austria expects no trouble due to a fight for the starting eleven when established forces return. In this sense, he trusts “completely” in the team leader Franco Foda. “Until now he has always known how to keep all the players engaged. That has always been one of his strengths.”
Windtner spoke of a “luxury problem” one likes to grapple with in light of the intense fall international game. Due to the extremely dense game plan, especially for the best players, there will be glitches in the future after the Corona break. “That is why we can be happy to have a wider range of quality for this intense fall than perhaps in the past.”
Before the next matches of the League of Nations, there is still an test against Greece in Klagenfurt on October 7. Due to the “unprecedented intensity,” Foda will try to “vary as much as possible,” Windtner assumed. In the Nations League, however, the team with the greatest impact should be back on the field. Because: “If you go up to league A, you have reached the elite of European football. That would have great sporting and economic appeal.”
Romania leads Group 1 of League B after two rounds, one point ahead of Austria and Norway. The winner is promoted and may still have a chance to reach the play-off for three starting places for the Qatar World Cup in 2022 through a back door.
“The game for the group win is completely open,” Windtner said. “I think any of these teams can be beaten by us if we can use their performance and potential to their full potential. That should make us optimistic.” Although Norway would have proven to be a serious competitor with their 5-1 win in Northern Ireland on Monday. “And Romania is definitely not to be underestimated.”
Windtner on Baumgartner: “Rookie of the international round”
The defeat against the Romanians was unnecessary and avoidable, Windtner said. “But it will not divert us from the course.” It was noted that some of the best artists had to pay tribute to the high stress of recent weeks. The concentration would have suffered at times. “This is not a criticism, it is humanly understandable,” emphasized the ÖFB boss.
The 70-year-old coach positively highlighted Baumgartner’s A-team debut, which debuted in a 2-1 win in Norway on Friday and also showed up against Romania with a goal and an assist. “You could call him the rookie of this international round because he really did a sensational job and he just fits in well.”
Windtner, on the other hand, felt less comfortable with the atmosphere in the first international match at home without spectators. “It is always oppressive.” October could help if UEFA gives the go-ahead after his Super Cup test on 24 September in Budapest. Windtner: “Unless there are major setbacks, all of European football expects that we will have a limited number of fans in the stadium again in October.”
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