Preview: There was once when talking about major footballing nations, the likes of France, Germany, Italy were not in the frame. Instead, Austria was. That was mainly before WW2. It was politics which ended Austria's footballing prowess. It last had flashes of brillance in the 1978 World Cup. The only time in post-war Austria so far.
Except for the inaugural edition in 1960 where every participating nation is a debutant, history does bodes well for newbies in the European Championships. Austria is one of the two debutants for the 2008 edition (the other is Poland), entering the tournament as the co-host. But the current Austrian national team had often being given the stick for their performances in recent times.
Judging by reports from the wired news agencies I had been reading, ordinary Austrians don't really have high hopes for their national team at the tournament. The country may be more famous in its cultural exports (just think Mozart who is from Salzburg and also one of the host cities) and producing skiers in terms in the sporting department these days, but, Austrian football can once lay claim they are better than the Germans. The 'wunderteam' up till the 1930s has always been like Hungary much later on, one of those great national teams which has never won a World Cup. While it was the Germans whom ended the Magic Magyars' (as the Hungarian national team of old is often referred to) unbeaten streak in the 1954 World Cup, the Anschluss indirectly ended Austrian football's most golden era. On the football side of things back then, there has to be an equal number of German and Austrian players on the national team. After the war ended, the Austrian team never really recovered. Until the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
The two neighbours met in Cordoba. It was the second group round. It eventually became one match the then-West Germany (which was already considered a power in football then) rather forget. A certain Karl-Heinze Rummenigge (the now Bayern Munich chairman) drew first blood for the West Germans before an Berti Vogts' own goal making it a draw. The highlights of that match (in Austrian German commentary with the now famous line of "Tor Tor Tor Tor Tor Tor, I werd' narrisch" - "Goal goal goal goal goal goal, I'm going crazy"). Eventually, Austria's Hans Krankl wrote his name into the history books as he scored the eventual winning goal which ended 47 years of hurt of losing to its bigger neighbour (3-2 in the end to Austria). Though eventually the two nations never progressed, that was the last time Austria, the one-time 'wunderteam', getting one over its mighty neighbour.
Until I came across the story of Austria's former football greatness on the FIFA website last year, I didn't know Austria once had a better football history than Germany. I know of the Anschluss (I used to study History and that was part of it) but never knowing it extended to the football side of things before the war...until the visit on the FIFA website and me doing background reading. I coming from a small country surrounded by more bigger neighbours...unless we accomplish something major that captures the world's attention, the respect is not going to be there. This is how the world works, unfortunately. For Austria, it has to see its bigger neighbour achieving more international successes on the football level. No wonder if one poll the English, majority will love the fact that their arch-enemy Germany don't win the Euro 2008. I know, being an England supporter as well I should be hating Germany for all its successes but then...it's jealously, isn't it? I want to come a day where I will be screaming madly when the English beat the Germans in a major tournament. It's like whenever the Singapore national team beat their Malaysian counterparts in a tournament (the rivalry was renewed during the ASEAN Football Championship last year where we won the semi-finals...on penalties!). Beating our bigger neighbour up north in football is always, sweet.
Oh. The woe of coming from a small country. Coming back to Austria now. In their recent international friendlies, they have started to improve. A draw against Nigeria and a 5-1 win over Malta did helped them improve the FIFA rankings and making them in the top 100 this time. So okay, they are in the same group as their mighty neighbour Germany (the two will face off on 16 June) but, history point in favour of host nations given except for Belgium in the 2000 version, past host nations had advanced beyond the group stages. No excuses.
During 'The Miracle of Cordoba' (as being nicknamed in Austria of the 1978 World Cup win over West Germany), there was also another person who is part the famous squad. Josef Hickersberger, the current Austria national coach and into his second stint as well. Even all the more Austria cannot say they cannot perform when facing Germany given 'Hicke' knew how it was like to beat the then-West Germans. Hickersberger had coaching stints in native Austria and overseas, more prominently in the Middle East and at one time, the Bahrain national team. He managed the senior Austria side at the 1990 World Cup and it came after coaching the U-21s. 'Hicke' was hackled in Austria when shortly after the World Cup, Austria lost to...Faroe Islands. He quitted and that was when his coaching sojourn really began (the U-21 job was his first).
His time at SK Rapid Vienna was when he had a major coaching break. Landing the club into the league title in 2004/05 season. First league title in nine years and delivering Champions League football too.
Coming into the European Championships being held in Austria's backyard, Josef Hickersberger is well aware that Austria is the outsiders to the title. But then again, who give a damn to Grece four years ago...until the final whistle in the final? Greece was the outsiders then. Captain Andreas Ivanschitz play his club football at AEK Athens and he has clubmates who were part of the winning squad four years ago. Being considered a star in his country (and at one time, being labelled as the Austrian David Beckham), he was Austria's youngest-ever skipper at the age of just 19 back in 2003.
So maybe not many Austrian players play their club football outside of their country (the captain is one of the few and Middlesbrough's Emanuel “Mad Dog” Pogatetz is another example), compared to Switzerland with a majority playing in major European leagues. But then Austria also has up-and-coming talents too. I had been hearing a lot of Sebastian Prodl and Erwin Hoffer.
I know there was once of a petition of not having the current Austrian national team taking part in the tournament (which the person who initiated it did faced consequences as well). But, this is silly. Remember 1978? Remember the time when Hugo Meisl, who was the coach of the 'Wunderteam'? It's not like as if Austria has no football history. They do.
Maybe Austria are not the favourites to win the title but...football does have its fair share of surprises before.
(More reading material)
Austria captain Ivanschitz hopes to imitate Greeks (Most Austrians have little hope of their team doing well at Euro 2008, but whatever expectations remain rest largely on the shoulders of captain Andreas Ivanschitz. Now 24, the Panathinaikos midfielder became Austria’s youngest captain when he took the armband in a 2003 European qualifier against the Czech Republic when he was just 19. Unassuming and quietly spoken, Ivanschitz has often been seen as a strange choice for the captaincy, particularly in the difficult times that have seen the tournament co-hosts winning just one of their last 14 matches.)
Hickersberger aims to leave Austria’s lows behind (A former Austria midfielder now in his second spell as coach, Josef Hickersberger has already experienced more highs and lows than most of his predecessors. He scored five goals in 39 internationals and is still remembered for his involvement in Austria’s shock 3-2 win over world champions Germany at the 1978 World Cup. Taking over as coach for the first time in 1988 after a year in charge of the Under-21s, Hickersberger enjoyed initial success, notably in steering Austria to the 1990 World Cup finals.)
Austria squad penpix (Short info on each player from the Austrian national team)
Hosts without a hope? (Co-hosts Austria are a team short on talent and hope, but will not lack in support and goodwill, says ESPN's Phil Holland.)
