Schalke: Kaminski on the end of the contract in 2023, injury and appreciation

S04 professional wants to extend

Marcin Kaminski is one of a whole squad of players at FC Schalke 04 with a contract that expires in the summer. The 31-year-old central defender spoke in an interview with the “WAZ’ about his open contract situation and lamented what he felt was sometimes underestimated appreciation he was receiving. Kaminski would “definitely” like to stay with the Royal Blues, emphasized the professional who returned to the Bundesliga with the team last year and justified this with the feel-good factor of his family: “We would all love to stay here.”

The Pole explained that he is concerned about not knowing how things will continue for him in terms of sport from July: “Of course my family will ask if we can stay or if we have to move again. (…) Not being able to plan with certainty is a dark side of life as a professional footballer. It’s not always easy for my children either. It would be great to have certainty, but I was injured for a long time, so I can understand that the club will only make the decision later.” A return to his former and youth club Lech Posen is currently not planned: “I personally have that Feeling that my time in Germany is not over yet.”

The veteran, who switched from VfB Stuttgart to Schalke on a free transfer in 2021, only played 271 minutes in four games this season – he even scored two goals and one assist. Due to injury, including a cut on his lower leg, Kaminski had to watch from the outside for a long time as his team-mates settled down in the table.

S04 professional Marcin Kaminski on time after injury: “It wasn’t easy”

“It was a difficult time because the injury happened almost at the same time as Malick Thiaw moved to AC Milan. So I would have had the chance to play in the Bundesliga – but I was injured. The injury also cost me my participation in the World Cup. The chance to go to the World Cup with Poland was there. That still hurts. Processing all this is not easy. But that’s also part of football,” said Kaminski, who finished 17th with Schalke with six games to go – tied on points with his former employer VfB in the relegation ranks.

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Although he was one of the driving forces of the immediate resurgence in the previous season with 31 second division games, he sometimes feels underestimated in public perception: “Sometimes, I’m honest. I’ve already proven myself in Stuttgart and Düsseldorf in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, it was said again and again that I was too slow. There aren’t just top sprinters in the Bundesliga.” And further: “Sure, I’m not as dynamic as others, but that’s not all in football. Positional play, experience and cleverness are also important for a defender. Against Hertha (he scored a direct free kick in the 5-2 win on matchday 28; ed.) I showed that I can keep up in the Bundesliga.”

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