Schalke 04: Contact with Vladimir Petkovic – Reis is still a candidate

Coach search continues

This article first appeared at 6:52 a.m. on October 24 and has since been updated with new information.

The name Thomas Reis has been circulating around Schalke 04 not only since Frank Kramer was fired last Wednesday. There was said to have been contact between the 49-year-old and the Bundesliga promoted team back in the summer, after his exit from VfL Bochum and the poor performance of the Royal Blues the topic came up again. When the post on the Schalke coaching bench became vacant last week, it was almost certain that Reis would take over. However, an agreement was a long time coming and seemed to have failed at the weekend. According to consistent media reports, the Royal Blues made a new attempt – but another candidate is said to be on Schalke’s list in the form of former Swiss national coach Vladimir Petkovic.

The latter reported on Monday evening the portal “Sport1.de“Relying on their own information, at the same time “Sky” and the Swiss newspaper “Blick” also reported on the personnel. Accordingly, both parties are in contact with each other, it is unclear how far the talks have progressed. The 59-year-old has been without a club since February, having previously been on the sidelines for around seven months at the then French first division club Girondins Bordeaux. Between 2014 and 2021, Petkovic coached the Swiss national team (78 games, 1.79 points on average) and led them to the 2016 (round of 16) and 2020 (quarter-finals) European Championships and to the 2018 World Cup in Russia (round of 16).

Thomas Reis at FC Schalke on topic: salary question open?

Both the “Picture” as well as “Sport1” had reported at the beginning of the week of further talks between those responsible for Schalke and Reis on Monday. Then, among other things, the question of salary should be clarified. According to the “Bild”, the bottom of the table in the Bundesliga wanted to adjust the offer upwards in order to attract the preferred candidate. The salary will then be in the range that was already in the room when there was a change in the summer. At that time there should already have been an agreement between the coach and the club, only VfL refused to release it.

Even now Bochum could tip the scales. Reis still has an ongoing contract with his former club until June 30, 2023, which could ask for a fee. However, it is quite possible that the VfL managers will be satisfied with the salary costs of around 440,000 euros.

As negotiated in the summer, Reis could get a contract at Schalke until 2024, which would also remain valid if he was directly relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga. In addition, according to “Sport1”, a bonus for successful relegation is included. Reis’ assistant coach Markus Gellhaus would also come to Gelsenkirchen in the event of a commitment.

Schalke’s sports director Rouven Schröder emphasized on the sidelines of the 1: 2 (0: 0) at Hertha BSC on Sunday that he wanted to present a new head coach “soon”. “Many, many coaches are also interested in Schalke, of course we are also interested in a certain profile, but we said that we obviously don’t run around the world with a profile,” said the 47-year-old. The fact that interim coach Matthias Kreutzer will remain in office was ruled out before the weekend.

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