ÖFB Head Coach Rangnick Still in Favor of National Stadium

At the announcement of the squad for the Football World Cup qualification on Monday in Vienna, ÖFB head coach Rangnick advocated for the construction of a multifunctional arena that should be usable for a variety of events. Despite the current austerity measures and the associated lack of support from the state, Rangnick sees the necessity to continue pushing this project forward.

National Stadium: ÖFB Head Coach Rangnick Advocated Again for a New Multipurpose Arena and Sees No Problem in Financing

"As far as financing is concerned, I have the least worries. There would be enough interested parties for financing and operation if willingness were signaled, but we are not there yet. The whole argument that we have no money is the last question that arises," emphasized Rangnick and added: "If I had five billion euros in private wealth - which unfortunately I don't - I would immediately put 500 million on the table. I would buy the stadium, build it, operate it, and ensure it becomes a cash cow." Unlike major German cities, Vienna does not have an event arena. Such a stadium would make Austria and the federal capital "sexier," said Rangnick, also naming interested investors and project developers such as the concert promoter "Live Nation," "Do & Co," or manager Herwig Straka.

He has already met three times with Vienna's City Councilor for Sports, Peter Hacker, on this matter, and once Mayor Michael Ludwig was also present, reported the German. The Happel Stadium is in a state of decay. There is a danger that it will become Vienna's Colosseum, "only that no one looks at it." Rangnick also advocated for daily physical activity in Austria's schools. No one is born with the label of being unathletic or untalented; the youth must be encouraged to engage in sports more, demanded Rangnick.

ÖFB Head Coach Rangnick Has "Really Good Feeling" About Pröll

The 66-year-old places great hopes in the new ÖFB Supervisory Board Chairman Josef Pröll. "He is my fifth president in the nearly three years I have been head coach here, that says it all. I sincerely hope he will be my last president, not because I plan not to be here much longer, but because it would be good for the association if a president were there for four or five years." Rangnick and Pröll had a longer conversation a few weeks ago in Eisenstadt, which according to the head coach was "really good." He has a "really good feeling," explained Rangnick, describing Pröll as an "experienced, established man."

(APA/Red)

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