‘I’m not unhappy that Deschamps didn’t call him up’ – Ralf Rangnick eulogises Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise

Ralf Rangnick is preparing his Austria side to face France on Monday and there is one player in particular that he is happy wasn’t called up by Didier Deschamps, as he told L’Équipe. 

Deschamps doesn’t have a habit of calling up uncapped players for major tournaments, however, he made an exception for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola. The former Olympique Lyonnais winger impressed in the latter half of the season and despite favouring Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby in March, Deschamps made the call to select the uncapped Barcola.

Many thought that France U21 international Michael Olise (22) deserved a spot in Deschamps’ squad. The Chelsea-linked forward was coming off a strong campaign with Crystal Palace (19 appearances, 10 goals, and six assists in the Premier League), however, it wasn’t enough to convince Deschamps.

Olise, who is also eligible to represent England at international level is therefore watching Euro 2024 from afar, much to the pleasure of Austria manager Rangnick. Asked which player in the France squad best suits his style of play, the former Manchester United manager replied, “He has never been called up by France but I love Michael Olise. If only he had Austrian origins! He is an exceptional player: he is quick, a strong dribbler, technically gifted and he works when he loses the ball. Whenever I saw him play, he had a smile on his face. I am not unhappy that Deschamps didn’t call him up.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle