Walter Rautmann (born 30 August 1945) is an Austrian retired football coach and player. He has coached Mpumalanga Black Aces,[6] Dangerous Darkies,[7] Real Rovers,[8] Moroka Swallows,[9][10] Rabali Blackpool,[7] AmaZulu,[11] African Wanderers,[12] Tembisa Classic,[13][14] Black Leopards,[15] Zulu Royals,[11][16] PJ Stars,[7] Garankuwa United,[17] Values Rockets,[5] Mbabane Swallows,[18] and amateur Klerksdorp City.[19]
Before playing in South Africa he played in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League in 1965 with Montreal Italica.[20] Unable to secure a contract in the United States, the retired midfielder came to the whites-only South African league with some other Austrians in the 1960s,[21] before completing a switch to Moroka Swallows as player-coach which was the first black team he was in.[22] Since then, he coached only black teams[22] and was dubbed 'Mr Fitness',[7] 'Mr Fixit', the 'Lion of the North' for his preternatural ability to save clubs from relegation.[21] Also, Rautmann helped some South African footballers earn transfers to Austria, the first at the time.[21]
While in charge of Rabali Blackpool, the former footballer was kicked by Gora Ebrahim after he was chosen to be substituted and has not spoken to Ebrahim since.[7]
In 2015, Rautmann was moribund when his heart stopped beating for 20 seconds and had to be revived.[23]
On South African football, he has stated that it is very corrupt.[22]
Summoned to take the helm of Mbabane Swallows of the Swazi Premier League near the end of 2009[18] on a short-term agreement to assist Malian Alou Badara ahead of their CAF Champions League clash encountering SuperSport United,[24] Rautmann arrived in the country by January 2010.[25] However, he complained about the state of Swallows' training pitch upon arrival,[26] blaming the state of the pitch for his team's cup loss to Amagaagasi as well.[27] A month succeeding his appointment, he severed ties with the club, citing a poor relationship with Alou Badara as the reason for his resignation.[28]
Marrying his wife Lynn in 1968, the Austrian mentor is fluent in English, Dutch, and Afrikaans.[1] He has a son, Michael, who was born in 1976.[1]