FC Schalke 04 has found a new coach in Thomas Reis. But that’s not the only topic that concerns the royal blues. The resignation of sports director Rouven Schröder also remains a big issue. New chaos days at Schalke?
In the beginning it was about goodbyes. Schalke’s sports director Peter Knäbel found almost pastoral words on Thursday (October 27th, 2022) to say goodbye to Rouven Schröder. The sports director had surprisingly decided the day before to give up his job with the Royal Blues. “It was an important personal matter. He is missing, he will be missing for a long time. Everyone knows the feeling of loss,” Knäbel directed almost unctuous words in the direction of Schröder.
Of course, Schalke could not casually dismiss the issue, after all, this news had hit at least the members and supporters of the club to the core. Those responsible are said to have known about Schröder’s plans for a long time.
The club was suddenly without a sports director and without a coach, which led to the widespread public perception that the traditional “days of chaos” at Schalke had broken out again. However, Knäbel refused to do so. “Everyone thought Schalke was on fire. But Schalke wasn’t on fire. Everything was prepared and well structured,” said Schalke’s sporting director.
Criticism of Schröder’s obligation
First of all, Knäbel wanted to work on the biggest construction sites that the club had opened in the past 24 hours reasonably quickly, plausibly and without causing too much damage. Even if some questions – such as the exact motives of Schröder, who cited personal circumstances for his decision – remained unanswered. After an extremely successful first transfer phase, which resulted in promotion back to the Bundesliga, critics blame him for being less fortunate in putting together the current squad. This is said to have left its mark on Schröder.
But Schalke wanted to look to the future. That’s why Thomas Reis sat next to Knäbel on the podium in the catacombs of the Schalke Arena. The 49-year-old has nothing less to do than Schalke 04 to save – a mammoth task. The team he takes over as coach in Schalke is bottom of the table after eleven matchdays and has hardly ever proven that it is competitive this season.
However, at his official presentation, Reis made an effort to spread optimism despite the fatal situation. “I try to set certain values. And courage is part of it. Courage to take risks. It’s not an easy situation, but that makes the task interesting: great stadium, great audience,” said the new S04 coach.
Rice: “Greedy for success”
Reis was proud to be able to hold this position. Even if he wasn’t one of the club’s first choices, which apparently had received some cancellations from other football teachers. “If you put me down as a plan B, C or D, I don’t care. I’m sitting here and no one else,” said Reis.
He even contributed to the transfer fee to VfL Bochum, his former employer, so that he could seize the chance at Schalke. He is said to have carried 200,000 of the 500,000 euro transfer fee himself. “How exactly I got involved stays between us,” said Reis, adding: “You’re often portrayed as greedy as a footballer. But I’m greedy for this club, for this task, that’s my motivation.”
This is exactly where Schalke’s problem lies. The low financial resources, the high level of debt (around 183 million euros) and the resulting, self-imposed rigid austerity course have paralyzed the S04 since the descent in terms of player purchases. And the prospects do not suggest any expensive commitments in the future either. “We want to do everything we can to be able to act,” Knäbel said somewhat cryptically, with a view to the long winter break and possible new players.
Rouven Schröder is no longer sporting director of FC Schalke 04.
Knäbel: “Let the coach work”
It is also regulated who should take care of this extremely important task after Schröder’s resignation. “We want to promote our own people,” said Knäbel, who is taking on the job of sports director on an interim basis. Team manager Gerald Asamoah, the former assistant to the head of sport, René Grotus, and chief scout André Hechelmann should support him. A balance sheet is drawn up at the end of the year. It’s quite possible that if this team proves itself, there won’t be a new, external sporting director.
The recent Schalke chaos days seem to be over for the time being. With a view to the end of the first half of the season, Schalke want to at least work on not losing touch with the competition. “Let the coach work now,” said Knäbel, symbolically pushing Reis a little. Immediately after his introduction, the new coach went to his first training session with his new team.
