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Austria can't be considered the weakest in their group, and many have been expecting them to be the dark horse of this European Championship. Looking at their current performance in the group stage, Austria has indeed shown their dark horse qualities by defeating the Netherlands and topping the group ahead of France. Considering their current opponents, they have a good chance of advancing past Turkey and the Netherlands to reach the quarter-finals. If they manage to defeat the Netherlands again, it would be even more impressive and highly anticipated that Austria could go all the way.
Before coaching Manchester United, Rangnick indeed hadn't managed a top-tier club, but he had a commendable track record. He first gained attention by leading Stuttgart to win the International Toto Cup. Later, he achieved remarkable success with Hoffenheim in Germany, guiding them to a three-division jump to the Bundesliga and winning the first-half championship in the 2008-09 season as a newly promoted team. After that, Rangnick often served in directorial roles within clubs. His playing career was relatively modest, and as a coach after retiring, he leaned more towards theory and tactical expertise, known for his academic approach.
When Rangnick went to Manchester United, it was initially as a temporary coach, with plans for him to continue as a consultant for two years after the season ended. Unfortunately, his coaching results were disappointing: in 24 matches, he had 10 wins, 7 draws, and 7 losses (winning rate of 41.6%), making him the manager with the lowest Premier League winning rate in Manchester United's history. Eventually, he did not stay on as a consultant and left Manchester United directly, indicating the deep disappointment the club experienced at the time. It's well known that Manchester United is currently in considerable disarray, and Rangnick's lack of experience coaching top clubs likely contributed to player disrespect and poor discipline, which reflected in their poor results.
Despite this, talented individuals can shine wherever they go, and this time, Rangnick has illuminated Austria, leading them to shine brightly. Let's hope they can continue their success in the knockout stages. |
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