After the breakthrough against the front runner, Simon Terodde was generous. On the eve of his 36th birthday, the captain of second division soccer team Schalke 04 wanted to buy one.
“You have to treat yourself to that,” said the second division record goalscorer after the 3-1 (1-0) against FC St. Pauli on “Sky”: “There was a lot of pressure on the kettle. We played scary football recently. Nice that we were able to give an answer. You could see the relief.”
Terodde was involved in match winner Yusuf Kabadayi’s first two goals (44’/73′), Kenan Karaman made the decision in stoppage time (90’+2). Coach Karel Geraerts, who came under massive criticism after three away defeats in a row with indisputable performances, had turned his team inside out, switched to five positions, changed the system and converted the six-man Ron Schallenberg into a central defender.
FC Schalke 04 improved significantly
The fact that the Belgian no longer makes the team is “complete nonsense,” said Schallenberg, “that’s a lot of nonsense.” The changes worked: not only did Terodde and Kabadayi, who moved into the starting line-up, play crucial roles, the fighting attitude was also right.
“It was really, really exciting,” said Schallenberg, who most recently played in defense in the U17 and the major leagues: “We brought the audience back in with a lot of passion.”
The team’s discussion after the 3-0 debacle in Magdeburg without a coach also had an impact. “We had a good opinion,” reported Schallenberg, “that was important. But even more important was the reaction on the pitch.” After the third home win in a row, the lead over the relegation place has increased to seven points.