In the end, it remains the fifth league defeat in a row and 18th place in the table. FC Schalke 04 is still empty-handed after the first game since the separation from coach Kramer – despite a courageous performance. The search for a coach should be completed soon.
Even after slipping to the bottom of the table, the players and interim coaches at FC Schalke 04 were at least cautiously optimistic that they had taken the first step towards turning the tide before the new head coach arrived. “Unfortunately we’re going back home and have nothing in our hands. But at least it wasn’t that far away that we had something in our hands,” said coach Matthias Kreutzer after the 2-1 defeat at Hertha BSC on Sunday evening. “The performance was as Schalke have to be. We have to build on that to reward ourselves next time.”
The Gelsenkirchen team showed passion and stood up to their opponents just a few days after the cup defeat in Hoffenheim and the separation from head coach Frank Kramer. They kept creating good scoring opportunities. “We had enough scoring chances to play 2-2 or 3-2,” said Mehmet Aydin. “You also have to see the positive things. We did better than in the last few weeks.” It was extremely bitter for the miners that Florent Mollet’s equalizer (85′) only lasted three minutes. Because Bochum defeated leaders Union, the Royal Blues are the new tail light. They have lost five Bundesliga games in a row.
It was still an achievement that the new head coach can build on. It’s still unclear who that will be, but the search shouldn’t take much longer. According to sports director Peter Knäbel, the new coach should be set in the new week. “The exam phase is on its last legs, it won’t be long now,” said the 56-year-old. The club wants to present a solution as soon as possible, said sporting director Rouven Schröder. “Many, many coaches are also interested in Schalke, of course we are also interested in a certain profile, but we also said that we obviously don’t run through the world with a profile,” said Schröder. “We do something like that internally – absolutely clear.”
An important week is ahead of them, Schröder admitted: “It’s now the club’s turn to make the right decision. Then we all have to stand behind it.” It’s “about Schalke,” warned the sports director, who also saw an improved team in Berlin. “We saw that the boys believe in it and work to score.” Kreutzer had “done it great in the past few days. We performed very differently. It was a significantly better performance, we are absolutely competitive.” At the moment, however, “if we make a mistake, the ball is usually in there,” Schröder complained. Goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, on loan from Hertha, slipped the ball through Lucas Tousart (49th) to make it 0-1.
Meanwhile, Thomas Reis is now considered a hot candidate again. According to reports from “Bild” and “Sport1”, the final talks with the ex-successful coach, who was released from VfL Bochum in September, are to be held this Monday. The 49-year-old would also have to come out of his contract with Bochum, which is still valid. A heated prank broke out around Reis and Schalke a few weeks ago. It was about contact, requests for release and accusations of lying. The traditional club from Gelsenkirchen would have liked to have signed the coach in the summer. Most recently, it was said in several media that there was no longer any contact between the two sides. Another option seemed more likely in the wild name-dropping. Despite the unclear situation on the coaching bench, the busy winger Aydin was combative: “We’re not afraid. We know what needs to be done. We knew it would be difficult in the Bundesliga.” Berlin was a good new beginning.
