Quotes after the ÖFB gala

Rangnick: “It’s not easy to play against us”

Ralf Rangnick (ÖFB team manager)

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Find out what the winners and losers had to say after Austria's 6:1 triumph against Turkey HERE! 

Christoph Baumgartner (ÖFB goalscorer): "An extremely energetic performance from us, especially in the second half. We put them under extreme pressure. They did very, very well in the first half, but we also won the ball well. It was a very, very deserved win. I don't know whether it was deserved in that amount."
On his penalty goal: "I asked Michi (Gregoritsch, ed.) - we're good friends - would you give me the ball? I'm very grateful to him, because a four-pointer (for Gregoritsch) would also be sensational. For me personally, it's important for my self-confidence that I scored it."

Ralf Rangnick (ÖFB team manager): "Before the game, I would have said that a 6:1 is unlikely, but not impossible. We got off to a great start with the quick goal. Then there was a phase from the 25th to the 40th minute when we had problems. The goal just before half-time did us some good. Well, the second half was almost perfect. We conceded little to nothing. The second half was ideal for us, of course. We played against a strong opponent. We had problems, especially in the phase (in the first half, please note) in which we didn't manage to get into the tackles properly. Germany didn't lose to them at home for nothing. But I thought it was impressive how we found our feet again in that difficult phase. The lads who came in showed that they wanted to be there. Four out of six goals were typical goals from us after winning the ball quickly. It's not easy to play against us like that. We saw today that we have good quality across the board. It was a tremendous team effort from everyone, an extremely strong team performance."

Xaver Schlager (ÖFB goalscorer): "It was important for me to get after it, to be there. It was a great start, we got off to a good start (with his goal to make it 1:0). We're brutally efficient at the moment. It's really good that we don't need many chances to score. But you could see that they can also play really well and we're in trouble. It's important that we don't just see the good things, but also the less good ones. The result hides that a little."

Romano Schmid (ÖFB team player): "I don't think our team has ever been as broad and well-staffed as it is right now. Everyone showed today that they can keep up at this level. Because in soccer the devil never sleeps and then everyone can show that they are there. Of course, my goal is to be at the European Championships. If I'm in the mood I'm in at the moment, I think I've got a good chance."

Michael Gregoritsch (three-time ÖFB goalscorer): "Of course I'm extremely proud and happy that I managed to do that (note: three goals) today. We started very, very well. We then had a brief phase in which we let the game slip out of our hands. We then came out of half-time really well, it was a great day for us. Everyone signed it (note: the ball), so I'm extremely happy about that. It has a special place in my heart. It gives us an incredible amount of confidence, but the next game still starts at 0-0. We used the training course to strengthen our strengths. Presence on the pitch, with and against the ball, is our strength. We are a very unpleasant team. The squad is very broad. Three leading players are missing, but we've made up for that very well."

Vincenzo Montella (Turkey team manager): "We're sad and not happy with the result. There are differences between the first and second half. In the first half, our build-up play was successful, we were very dominant. We weren't passive, we played a good game. But there were also things we should improve. We didn't play well in the second half. We didn't build the game up from the back and conceded a lot of goals, which is something we need to analyze carefully. We also had problems against Germany, but we had a better balance and won the game (3-2 in November/note). We have to keep going."

Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey team player): "It's not easy to play against Austria because they play high pressing. In my opinion, Austria have a good chance of progressing (at the European Championships, ed.) because they have a very strong squad. And you could see today that the team can replace Arnautovic and Alaba. We also have a group that is doable, but we have to work hard."