Danny Rohl has opened up on the remarkable chain of events that took him from crisis management at Sheffield Wednesday to a title challenge at Rangers, and now to a fresh start at Red Bull Salzburg, insisting his decision to leave Ibrox in the summer was the right call despite the abrupt nature of his exit.
The 37-year-old German coach spoke to BBC Sport from his office at Salzburg's Taxham training base, with the Berchtesgaden Alps visible in the distance, as he reflected on a turbulent 12 months in management. Rohl took charge of Rangers when they sat sixth in the Scottish Premiership having won just one of their previous eight matches. He steered them back into contention for the title, though four losses in their last five fixtures saw them finish third.
Despite believing he would remain at Ibrox, a phone call about Salzburg's interest arrived while Rohl was on holiday in Hawaii, forcing him to reconsider his future. He described making calls and weighing his options while aboard a cruise, often in the early hours due to the 12-hour time difference.
"I was not prepared for this change in the summer," Rohl said, recalling how he balanced his admiration for Rangers against the opportunity presented by Salzburg's sporting director, Marcus Mann. "I spoke, of course, with Rangers. I was really transparent and open on how I feel, how I see it. On the other side there was Red Bull Salzburg... he really gave me the feeling of what we can do here."
Rohl emphasized that he approached both parties honestly, stating he would have stayed at Rangers had no agreement been reached with Salzburg. Ultimately, he chose to embrace a new challenge with a talented young squad rather than continue building on unfinished business in Glasgow.
His successor at Ibrox, Derek McInnes, has endured a difficult start, losing his opening four matches including a Europa League exit to Jagiellonia Bialystok. Rohl, speaking before that result, acknowledged the intense pressure that comes with managing Rangers, describing it as a uniquely demanding environment that cannot be fully understood until experienced firsthand.
Now back in Austria — where he began his coaching journey under Ralph Hassenhuttl at RB Leipzig before following him to Southampton — Rohl is targeting silverware after Salzburg went three seasons without the Austrian Bundesliga title following a decade of dominance. The club finished third last season.
"I want to win titles and, after the season, I will measure myself on this result," Rohl said, also stressing the importance of developing young talent, a hallmark of Salzburg's recent history. The club's academy has produced stars such as Erling Haaland, Karim Adeyemi, Sadio Mane, Dayot Upamecano and Dominik Szoboszlai. Midfielder Lucas Gourna-Douath looks set to be the latest departure, with a move to Hull reportedly close.
Salzburg's season began with a comeback for the ages in the Europa League qualifiers, overturning a 2-0 deficit against Pafos to draw 3-3 and advance 4-3 on aggregate, setting up a play-off tie against Sweden's Mjallby. Domestically, they have taken four points from two league matches, beating Hartberg before drawing 1-1 at Wolfsberg despite dominating possession.
Rohl noted the difference in scrutiny between Scotland and Austria, saying the intensity surrounding Rangers, including relentless media coverage, contrasts with the relative calm he now enjoys in Salzburg. He has used his newfound anonymity to attend the city's renowned theatre festival and enjoy simple pleasures like dining out undisturbed.
"At the moment it's great to go through the city, to have dinner and you are a little undercover," Rohl said, adding that he hopes to reflect fondly on his time in Salzburg after three years, much as he does now on his spells with Wednesday and Rangers.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.