Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Fears for Weimann after injury on Austria duty
BRISTOL City are anxiously awaiting updates from the Austria camp after forward Andi Weimann exited their Nations League clash against France on Thursday night with a leg injury.
Weimann pulled up in the 50th minute and immediately left the field at the Stade de France with Austria then conceding twice as Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud scored for the hosts.
Speaking in the aftermath of the defeat, Austria boss Ralf Rangnick, the former Manchester United chief, did not offer any further detail on Weimann’s injury, or those of his teammates Marko Arnautovic and David Alaba, but confirmed the trio were doubts for their next game against Croatia.
“David Alaba is injured and also questionable for Sunday,” Rangnick said, as reported by Kronen Zeitung. “He thinks the problems come from the back, so it was the case that he couldn’t continue playing and is not sure if he can play on Sunday.
“The same goes for Andi Weimann and Marko Arnautovic. We now have to wait and see how that develops.”
Austria host Croatia in Vienna on Sunday for their final Nations League fixture. Rangnick’s side are bottom of Group A1 and unable to reach next summer’s finals.
City’s next Sky Bet Championship fixture is at home to Queens Park Rangers next Saturday, beginning a run of eight games in 29 days for the Robins. Boss Nigel Pearson does have options if the absence of the Austrian, with Mark Sykes perhaps able to switch from wing-back with Kane Wilson coming in on the right.
Former Bristol City head coach Dean Holden is among the bookmakers favourites to succeed Paul Warne as Rotherham boss.
Warne left the Millers this week to take over at Derby County after six years in charge of the Yorkshire club, leading them to three promotions.
Rotherham have made a terrific start to the 2022/23 season, lying eighth in the Championship.
Holden is out of work following his exit from Stoke City in the wake of Michael O’Neill’s sacking. He served as assistant to O’Neill and took charge for one game as interim boss.