“Would have been almost impossible”
Rangnick explains his rejection of FC Bayern
May 22, 2024, 10:34 a.m
At FC Bayern Munich they have to continue looking for a coach because Ralf Rangnick first accepted and then canceled. Now Rangnick, who led the Austrian national team to the European Championships, explains why it would have been impossible for him to get involved with the record champions.
Ralf Rangnick listened to his heart and gut when he rejected FC Bayern Munich. As coach of the Austrian national football team, he put a lot of time and energy into this task for two years and worked to achieve this starting position, said the 65-year-old. “I didn’t want to endanger them under any circumstances,” emphasized Rangnick, who announced his squad for the European Championships in Germany on Tuesday.
At the beginning of May, the former Bundesliga coach declined to join FC Bayern as Thomas Tuchel’s successor despite advanced negotiations and decided to stay in Austria. It was not an easy decision and not an easy time, said Rangnick. “If I had actually wanted to do it from May 1st, I would have also been coach of Bayern Munich. To actually do both for two and a half months would have been almost impossible,” he emphasized.
Even with all the energy he felt, something would have suffered. “I didn’t want that and that’s why I trusted my gut, listened to my heart and decided to move on and stay here. From my point of view, that was still the right decision,” said Rangnick.
The 65-year-old has been national coach in Austria since 2022. His contract with the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) runs until 2025 and would be extended by another year if he manages to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the USA and Mexico.