Schalke: First thoughts when looking for a coach – Grammozis cashes in on promotion

Henzler returns

After the late 3:4 defeat against Hansa Rostock, FC Schalke 04 pulled the ripcord on Sunday: coach Dimitrios Grammozis had to go. It was “not a gut decision, but a development process,” emphasized sports director Rouven Schröder in a digital media round. With only two wins from the last five games, the Royal Blues had slipped to sixth place in the 2nd Bundesliga. With 41 points after 25 match days, S04 are six points behind a promotion place.

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“We were no longer convinced that our target, promotion to the Bundesliga, still had a sufficiently high probability in the current constellation. In the sporting management, we were all convinced that the team needed a new impetus in the season finale,” Schröder explained the change in the coaching bench, where the previous assistant Mike Büskens will take over responsibility until the end of the season.

“We approached Buyo with complete conviction. Because he’s the one who can turn things around,” said Schröder. The remaining nine games should be approached “like a tournament”. “It’s a short process in which we all have to act as a unit.” Afterwards, Büskens – no matter how the season ends – “will return to the second row, even if he wishes.”

Schalke already has “first thoughts” on the search for a coach

In addition to Büskens, Simon Henzler is returning to Schalke as a goalkeeper coach, where he previously held the same role from 2015 to 2021. “In addition, we are currently on the lookout for further reinforcements for the coaching staff, who should join at short notice. We already have thoughts and ideas in mind, but nothing is ready for a decision yet,” explained Schröder, who is also already looking for a successor to Büskens.

“As a sporting manager, we have developed a profile, and there are already initial thoughts,” confirmed Schröder, who defined this profile briefly and concisely: “It is important that the new coach starts his task at Schalke with full conviction, regardless of the league. He has to fit the club.” Before Büskens was appointed, Schalke had dealt with Friedhelm Funkel, Uwe Neuhaus and Daniel Farke, among others, but Schröder had not given any thought to other candidates besides Büskens.

“We wanted to make internal decisions because we have the best people internally,” said the 46-year-old. You will only know “on May 15” whether it was the right decision. “However, our full focus is initially on the remaining nine matches of this season. 27 points are still up for grabs. I’m an athlete – and an athlete would like to win every game. With this attitude we have to tackle the tasks ahead and try to end the season in the best possible way.”

Grammozis receives three times the salary when Schalke are promoted to the Bundesliga

Should Schalke still manage to climb, the dismissed Grammozis would have to continue to be paid. How “sports1“reported, the contract with the 43-year-old was not terminated. In the event of success, the working paper is automatically extended by a further year. Grammozis would therefore even earn three times as much if Schalke returned to the Bundesliga: instead of 600,000 euros a year, 1.8 million euros. If S04 stays in league two, the contract ends.

Buyo reports from the home office

We wish you continued symptom-free progress and would be happy if you could exchange the tablet for a training place #S04 | | #Büskens pic.twitter.com/SRmGoFtkPl

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04) March 8, 2022

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