(Preview: It will be the start of possibly a series of Euro 2008-relating entries leading to the tournament itself and yours truly will begin with a look at co-host Austria's footballing past. Yes, Germany's neighbour used to be all-so-good...pre-WW2, that is. But what really happened after that? For a little trip down memory lane, then she thinks she has accomplished the task. In a weekend football focus series, Euro 2008 special.)
Reading the origins of a football club is as fascinating as learning the history of my country back in school, or at least to me. Maybe I am an oddball but, at least my interest in history even stretches to my most favourite sport to watch on TV. And reading of the history of the once wunderteam that is call Austria, it makes me think of so many things. Long before her bigger neighbour Germany can lay claim they are among the best in world football, Austria used to strike fear throughout Europe. Before WW2, that is.
It used to be that Austria was mentioned alongside with Hungary (which especially produced the Magical Magyars in the 50s) for example in terms of great national teams which have never won a World Cup. Whatever I know much of Austria (other than it's where Mozart came from, it will be the co-host of Euro 2008 and where The Sound Of Music came from)...unfortunately to say, actually goes back to the days when I studied History. Especially if you talk about a certain Austrian call Adolf Hitler who has more ties to Germany. Now that is another story.
It's almost a universal acknowledgement that it was the English whom brought football to almost every corner of the world. Hugo Meisl, who was the coach of the wunderteam, was a friend of Englishman Jimmy Hogan. Hogan's tactics (Scottish style of football, and short-passing among those) did not find itself many fans in his native England, but it found it in Meisl. In fact, the DFB (the German FA, that is) even hailed Hogan for being responsible of their successes on the day he died (though it was said to be that while Austrians play Scottish style of football, the Germans do it the English way). Short-passing...to think of it now, this is what the German national team of today does. And to think it was an Englishman's ideas which found fans in them, other than Meisl. Not in his native England.
But what does it have to do with Austria? Pre-WW2 days, Austria had one of its best-ever footballing years. And the man who was partly responsible for creating the wunderteam was a banker's son in the form of Hugo Meisl. Born into a wealthy family, he did trained in a career in business and worked as a clerk before realising football was actually his calling all along. When he was the general secretary of the Austrian Football Association, he lobbied for making football into a professional sport not only in his country, but throughout the rest of Europe. But he was more widely known as the coach of the wunderteam. With people like Ernst Happel (if this name sounds familar to the English fans who watch the Austria-England friendly, yes, the stadium which the current Austrian national team use it, is named after him), Matthias Sindelar (who was known as the Mozart of football, was being nicknamed 'Paper Man' given of his statue and was even popular on the day he died as many turned up for his funeral...but his death is still shrouded in mystery), Ernst Ocwirk, Gerhard Hanappi, and Walter Zeman whom were part of the famous Meisl's squad, they were a squad to be reckoned with.
In the 1934 World Cup which was held in Italy, it was obvious that they were the favourites given they even beated countries like Hungary (yes, yes), Czechoslovakia (which were considered among the best in those days too) as well. Coming into the semi-final. Italy is their opponents. Hugo Meisl's Italian counterpart Vittorio Pozzo was the coach for the Azzuri at that time and he is also another friend of Meisl. Friends, but Meisl had declared ahead of the match that his side had no chance at all. One of those reasons which showed on the match itself - bad weather. It rained when the match began. The Austrians had always loved to play on the grass. The final result did not went into the wunderteam's way. The Azzuri won: 1-0. The Austrians were fourth eventually, thus never really cementing their place on the international stage.
That is until when the Olympics came along, two years later. And their final opponents...Italy. But again, the Azzuri denied the wunderteam of a victory (1-2 to Austria). The only time Austria ever appeared in the final of a major international football tournament. On 24 January 1937, Meisl's squad gave their coach a farewell present. The Austrians beat the French in Paris with a 2-1 scoreline. Given just weeks later, Hugo Meisl died of a heart attack at the age of 55. Anschluss then came about with native Austrian Adolf Hitler annexed his country with neighbour Germany (where he was the leader of the Nazi Party). It also means Austrian players had to play for Germany. It was said that 'Paper Man' Sindelar refused to play for Germany. And then he mysteriously died when Nazi occuption came about. There were plenty of theories as to how he died, but even till today, there is not a clear conclusion.
But still, it was Anschluss which marked the downfall of a once great national team. Post-war, it never really recovered. Still, neighbours Austria and Germany did had certain moments of football rivalry, though it was not as great as the Dutch-German football rivalry. There were a few notable moments.
I remembered when it was made known that Austria will be drawn into the same Euro 2008 group as Germany, the Austrian press (I only knew about this on Eurosport's German site, with English translation from Google Translator) brought up the 1978 World Cup. At first I kind of wondered what was all the fuss, and I did a little checking on the Wikipedia page of when then-West Germany and Austria faced each other on that tournament, it was held in Argentina and the Austrian press wanted a repeat of Cordoba (the venue where the second round match between the two countries was played). There is a reason to that. Because given the final score at that time: 3-2. No, not to West Germany. Austria! As what Austrian football comentator Edi Finger Sr (serious, that is his name) would said at that time at the end of the match - "Tor, Tor, Tor, Tor, Tor, Tor, I wer' narrisch" (Goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, goal, I'm going crazy). Not since for 47 years, the Austrians had managed to beat their bigger neighbour!
The 1982 World Cup was another. But it was marred with controversy. The equation was that no matter the result, both Austria and West Germany will be able to advance to the second phase of the tournament...at the expense of Algeria (which had already finished playing ahead of that match). West Germany won 1-0. It was said that both teams had purposely played to that outcome, or so it seems. That was the start of staging group matches simultaneously.
The Austrian football of today was never the same as before as in the days of when Hugo Meisl was the coach. Politics made it that way. For those who are followers of international football will probably be aware that Germany is one of the major footballing nations. Austria was never on the radar. I had forgotten is it current Germany national coach Joachim Loew or his general manager Oliver Bierhoff when being quizzed about Austria in their Euro 2008 group, the mention of home support by the Austrians came up. But there are others who will beg to differ that though the group matches will all be playing in Austria, in respect of the Austrian national team whom are playing on home ground, Germany is far better. But, Austria was once way up there.
Before the war. Before the Anschluss.
Here are some relating reading material before I end the entry. In fact, I got the info from these links. Or most of it.
Mixed memories as neighbours meet
Austria anxious to raise the bar
Totalitarian Football
The 'Paper Man' mystery
Hugo Meisl - The banker's son who masterminded a Wunderteam
Friendly neighbours
Revisiting the Wunderteam
Profile of Wunderteam coach
Profile of Meisl's British friend
An in-depth profile - Traitor Or Patriot: Jimmy Hogan
