Manager Ralph Hassenhuttl has admitted that he turned down ‘financially tempting’ opportunities to return to the game after his time with Southampton.
The Austrian manager has spoken with Sky Sports Germany as he begins his tenure at Wolfsburg, his first club in nearly two years.
He departed Southampton in November 2022, after a four-year stint that began brightly and seemed promising before coming to an end with the team and manager in a terrible slump of form.
Rather than returning to the game, Hassenhuttl chose to spend time away from it, relaxing in his own Austria.
Several reports said he had grown tired of the game after his stint with Southampton and would like to stay away, with the 56-year-old even stating he had pondered retiring completely.
That did not turn out to be the case, as he chose to return to the game in Germany with Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg last month.
They’ll be his first club in almost 18 months, and he admits he could have returned sooner, surprise some by not doing so.
“The enthusiasm is back. “And I still find the Bundesliga very exciting,” he continued.
“I also have a lot to commend her for. It remains one of the world’s greatest leagues, and it has the potential to go much further.
“In some occasions, my family and advisor were astonished (when he declined offers). There were not only financially rewarding opportunities, but also extremely exciting sporting challenges.
“But I wasn’t prepared yet. Of course, I never made this public, but I always informed interested parties promptly and honestly about why I was not yet available.
