According to media reports, the struggling second division club FC Schalke 04 asked former Knappen star Raúl when looking for a new head coach. But the Spaniard immediately dismissed it, and now new background information is coming to light.
Former world-class striker Raúl has canceled FC Schalke 04, as “Sport Bild” recently reported. The 46-year-old is currently coaching Real Madrid’s second team and is said to have been discussed in Gelsenkirchen as a possible successor to Thomas Reis.
It was not yet known why Raúl missed the opportunity to take over a professional team for the first time in his coaching career. The only reason given by the sports paper was that it wasn’t the right time.
Now “Sport1” is providing new background information on the cancellation: Raúl, who scored 28 goals for Royal Blue between 2010 and 2012, sees himself already taking a step further in his career and he doesn’t want to take over a second division team for the time being. The plan: The former striker wants to coach a “stable and higher-class” club for the new season.
It fits into the picture that Raúl was close to playing in the Spanish first division a few weeks ago when the spot on the bench became available at the struggling FC Villarreal. Four days after Quique Setién was kicked out, the Spanish first division club ultimately hired Pacheta as their new coach.
Is Raúl interested in the job at Real Madrid?
According to Spanish media, Real Madrid would have agreed to a change of their second team coach.
Although the door in eastern Spain is closed for now, Raúl continues to think big, according to Sport1. The 102-time national player wants to wait and see how the situation at his heart club Real Madrid develops. Internally, he is definitely considered a possible successor to star coach Carlo Ancelotti, who will quit at the end of the season.
However, Raúl is not said to be the Royals’ preferred candidate. Most recently, ex-Madrilenian Xabi Alonso, who is making positive headlines with Bayer Leverkusen this season, has been mentioned again and again.