Foda wants to initiate “turnaround” with victory in the Faroe Islands

Is team boss Foda directing the last address to his ÖFB stars these days?

© HERBERT PFARRHOFER

Torshavn – It is truly a must win, if not an easy one. Austria’s weakened national team has to win on Saturday (8.45 p.m. / live ORF 1) in the Faroe Islands, otherwise not only second place in the World Cup qualification is out of reach. For Franco Foda, it’s about nothing less than his future as team boss. Should the ÖFB selection embarrass itself against the Inselkicker for the third time in its history, the coach would be hard to hold.

“We are willing to get the most out of the many failures,” emphasized Foda before the departure to the North Atlantic, which was postponed to Friday. “The truth is now on the pitch. It is about making the turnaround together and doing everything we can to win this game. Only together can we get out of this valley again, that is our task.”

“It’s important that we win our games”

The ÖFB kickers had maneuvered their way into the valley in September with defeats in Israel (2: 5) and against Scotland (0: 1). Three of the last four qualifying games were lost. “Due to the last course, we don’t have a very good starting position overall,” admitted Foda. His team lacks three points on Israel, four on Scotland.

The first place in group F and with it the World Cup ticket will most likely go to Tuesday opponent Denmark. The Austrians who are currently fourth are hoping for second place, but no longer have this in their own hands. Foda: “We are dependent on other results, but it is important that we do our job, that we win our games.” Israel and Scotland will take points away from each other on Saturday (6:00 p.m.).

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The ÖFB team has a place in the play-off for the three remaining places for the World Cup due to the Nations League group victory in V or year almost certainly. However, the best six of the ten runners-up from the qualification have home rights there in the semifinals in March 2022. In order to achieve this, the Austrians would have to win in Denmark too – with a total of eleven players who are currently injured or ill, no easy undertaking.

Failures require changes

“This year we had except for Always struggling with failures at EM, “said Foda. In this course there are particularly many, but the German still wants to “bring a team onto the field that is able to win both games”. With Marko Arnautovic, Sasa Kalajdzic and Christoph Baumgartner, well-known offensive forces are missing. Michael Gregoritsch is the only player in the squad who has already scored an international goal this year.

Foda referred to the three before the Faroe Islands guest performance with Gregoritsch, the subsequently nominated Ercan Kara and Karim Onisiwo striker still in the squad. “One of the three will play in the center.” Cologne legionaries Florian Kainz and Louis Schaub could start on the wings in Torshavn, and Barcelona youngsters Yusuf Demir and Alessandro Schöpf are options. As the second central defender next to Martin Hinteregger, his Frankfurt colleagues Stefan Ilsanker and Stefan Posch have the best cards.

Rain and wind have none Effects

According to Foda, rain and wind should not have any effect on the Austrians’ playground – just as little the artificial turf. Rather, it is crucial to bring the basic virtues to the field against the Faroe Islands, “a team that plays football with a big heart and great passion”. All of the above does not matter – even the historical loss of points against the Faroese in 1990 in Landskrona (0: 1) and 2008 in Torshavn (1: 1).

“You are tactically very well organized “said Foda about the Faroe Islands. They had proven that in September against Denmark (0: 1). The goal came in the 85th minute. Foda’s plan: “We have to keep up the pace, try to shift the game and get into the gaps.” It is important not to allow any counter-situations. “It is important that the last line also moves up, that we stand close together.”

Foda warned about Faroe’s playmaker Brandur Hendriksson Olsen and his standards. “Standard situations are independent of what qualities you have, but they can also decide games.” The ÖFB selection had already struggled against bottom group Moldova (2-0) in Chisinau at the beginning of September. The team boss did not make any comparison: “Every game is complicated.”

That also applies to his situation. Foda’s contract runs until the end of the World Cup qualification (including play-off, if this is reached). The public discussion about his future will not affect his game preparation, assured the 55-year-old – on the contrary. “I have always said: As long as I am a coach, I will give everything until the last day. Everything else is beyond my control.”

In addition to ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel, he also recently had important leaders like David Alaba publicly expressed their trust. But Foda did not want to judge what had to happen in order for him to remain team boss after the away double and the election of Gerhard Milletich as the new ÖFB president on October 17th. “We’ll do everything we can to win the games.” (APA)

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