It is a view shared by many that there were three colossal figures in European football management in the pre war era. In England Herbert Chapman changed the way in which the game was played and presented. On the continent Hugo Meisl oversaw the development of the Austrian team from keen Sunday morning amateurs to the strongest side in World football in the space of twenty odd years of absolute dedication to the game. Vittorio Pozzo led Italy to an Olympic Gold medal and two World Cup wins , taking the concept of preparation to a new level. The theories of all three* have influenced football right up to the present day.
During the Meisl - Pozzo era up until 1937, national teams managed by the two men met on 8 occasions:
Game 1: 3.7.12 Austria 5-1 Italy (Olympic Games, Stockholm)
Italy 1912
The first meeting of Meisl/ Pozzo teams came at the 1912 Olympics.
Italy were still relative newcomers to international football. It was only their 10th match. Vittorio Pozzo had been made coach for the Olympic tournament and this was his 3rd game in charge. It was Hugo Meisl's 6th game as Austrian manager, and the 4th in which Jimmy Hogan was alongside him. The outstanding player of the game was Austria's goalkeeper, Josef Kaltenbrunner.
The match was in the consolation tournament , Italy having lost 3-2 to Finland in the first round of the main tournament (a match refereed by Herr Hugo Meisl!) but defeating Sweden 1-0 in consolation round one. Austria had beaten Germany 5-1 in the first round of the main tournament before losing 3-1 to Netherlands in the second round. In consolation tournament they beat Norway 1-0 in round one and having seen off Italy they went on to lose 3-0 to Hungary in the final.
Game 2: 22.2.31 Italy 2-1 Austria
Italy's first ever win over Austria came in this Coupe Internationale européenne match in Milan, with goals from Meazza and Orsi.
Game 3: 20.3.32 Austria 2-1 Italy (Coupe Internationale européenne, Vienna)
Austria avenged the previous years defeat, Meazza was on the scoresheet again, but a Matthias Sindelar double won the match for the hosts.
Game 4: 11.2.34 Italy 2-4 Austria (Coupe Internationale européenne, Turin)
Two goals from Guaita for the Azzuri - a hat trick from Zischek and a fourth from Binder for Austria.
Austria 1934
On form Austria should have been favourites for the 1934 World Cup. Italy appear to have enjoyed considerable home advantages during the tournament.
Game 6: 24.3.35 Austria 0-2 Italy (Coupe Internationale européenne, Vienna)
2 goals from Piola- Italy were on their way to a second Coupe Internationale européenne title.
Game 7: 17.5.36 Italy 2-2 Austria (Rome)
Game 8: 15.8.36 Italy 2-1 Austria (Olympic Games, Berlin aet)
Annibale Frossi scored 2 to give Italy Olympic gold.
Played: 8
Austria: wins 3 goals 15
Italy: wins 4 goals 13
Drawn 1
Hugo Meisl died at the age of 55 in February 1937. Austria's next match was against Italy in Vienna 2 months later.
The match was abandoned after 74 minutes with Austria leading 2-0.
The reason for abandonment was ' due to excessively hard play by Italy'.
* I am not forgetting Jimmy Hogan. His approach to coaching enabled Meisl's vision of fluid, attack based football to become a reality.
* I am not forgetting Jimmy Hogan. His approach to coaching enabled Meisl's vision of fluid, attack based football to become a reality.
