The decision on the team boss is made by the presidium around the designated ÖFB boss Gerhard Milletich. Three weeks after his election, the team will meet again to bring the World Cup qualification to a close in Klagenfurt against Israel and Moldova.
“The Presidium will hear from me that my recommendation is definitely to go to the November seminar with Franco Foda,” emphasized Schöttel after the defeat in Copenhagen. “I think he’s doing everything he can to get the ship back on course. I have this impression – and I am really very close to the team. “
Frustration with the ÖFB team after defeat
After the defeat against Denmark on Tuesday, Austria’s national team has no chance of second place in the World Cup qualifying group. The team can only qualify via the play-off in March.
The qualification was “definitely disappointing”, said Schöttel. “But we had a European Championship in the middle of it all, where we excited the people.” Even before that, the team boss had achieved all the goals that the association had set for him by participating in the European Championship and advancing to Nations League A. “I can see that the relationship between the team and the coach is absolutely fine, that everyone wants to get out of this situation together.”
Schöttel remains confident for the World Cup
The chance to do this is in November, for which Schöttel and Foda are hoping for a better personnel situation with fewer absences. “I am in good spirits that this will work out well. We have two home games where we have to leave behind what happened a bit ”, said the sporting director. The qualification was not gambled away in Denmark (“You are in top shape like hardly any other team in Europe at the moment”), but in Israel (2: 5) and against Scotland (2: 2, 0: 1).
Schöttel is nevertheless confident of making the leap to the finals in Qatar via the World Cup play-off in March. Even before the European Championship, after the 0: 4 in March at home against Denmark, they had problems. The result was “a shock”, but brought the group closer together in the process of reappraisal. Schöttel: “We were fully there at point X at the European Championships. I assume that we will succeed again, because the team also wants to be at the World Cup. “
“Intensive discussions”
Much will depend on – ideally two – play-off games in March. The Austrians have to play the semi-finals of the mini-tournament away because they missed second place in the qualification. Foda’s contract would run until then. But Milletich and Co. will have to decide whether the German will still be the team boss.
“There are important days and weeks waiting for us, when we will set the course for the near future,” said Schöttel. The 54-year-old Viennese expects “intensive talks” shortly after the change at the top of the association. The analysis of the team boss situation required by Milletich is nothing new to him. He would do this permanently in order to be prepared for the worst case scenario. “The other way around, there could also be an offer.”
According to Schöttel, “a new era” begins in the association with the annual general meeting on Sunday – the one after Leo Windtner, who has led it since 2009. “It will certainly be exciting to see whether and in what form something changes. Those are exciting and decisive weeks in that direction. ”The sports director at the ÖFB, to which he has been a member since 2017, has a permanent contract, like most of the employees with the exception of the men’s team boss.
