[ad_1]
On Saturday, after the successful start in the Nations League, ÖFB President Leo Windtner not only praised how the Austrian national team coped with “adverse circumstances” due to the crown measures in Norway. After the 2-1 success in Oslo, the association director also positively highlighted the integration of a new generation, including newcomer Christoph Baumgartner.
>> Live ticker: Austria vs. Romania
“The performance was refreshing. We were ready to run and work. That impressed a serious opponent,” said Windtner, who had formed the ÖFB mini-delegation with Secretary General Thomas Hollerer and Managing Director Bernhard Neuhold, when he returned. Klagenfurt. “It is particularly gratifying to see the dynamism with which the next generation went to work and formed a good team with the established ones”
Baumgartner’s appearance gives hope
In addition to the failures of David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic, Valentino Lazaro and Konrad Laimer, team boss Franco Foda also left captain Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic on the bench for their short preparation in Oslo. The structure seemed to work anyway. “The established are in no way boastful or offended if they don’t play from the start,” Windtner said. “And the boys are still humble.”
This was demonstrated by Baumgartner, who after his great performance can also aspire to a place in the starting lineup on Monday against Romania. “But I am not a demanding player. I have only been here a while,” emphasized the 21-year-old. Team boss Franco Foda praised the Austrian from Lower Austria for his down-to-earth attitude: “He has yet to develop in certain situations, but he knows it too. He is clearly on the ball.”
In a playful way, Baumgartner is a real promise for the future. “He has speed, he dribbles well, he can enrich our game with the way he plays football,” Foda said. The Hoffenheim Legionnaire can do that in almost all offensive positions. Against Norway he performed on the left wing. But he also kept rotating in his favorite role of “ten”, which Marcel Sabitzer played on the ÖFB team.
I hope the audience returns soon
“In a system like this you can always see a little space and push into it,” explained Baumgartner, why he sometimes appeared in the center of offensive midfield. There is a lot in defensive behavior. “We have our freedom on the offensive.” The team also wants to use them against Romania. Baumgartner: “Putting the opponent under pressure and taking our game to the field, that’s crucial.”
Spectators are also not allowed into the Wörthersee Stadium on Monday. This is not due to the traffic light in Corona, but to an order from the European federation UEFA. The ÖFB still hopes to be able to play international matches again in front of a small audience from October. “UEFA has declared this double header a test for the moose,” Windtner commented on the situation. The national team passed at least the first half.
Than
