After 18 games without a win, FC Schalke 04 parted ways with coach David Wagner in September 2020. Almost three months later, the Royal Blues are still waiting for a threesome. Sports director Jochen Schneider looked back self-critically on the Wagner-Aus, also indicated a final for successor Manuel Baum and gave emotional insights into his emotional world.
“In retrospect, it was not the right decision,” said Schneider, referring to the long adherence to Wagner in an interview with the “Picture on sunday“.
“In the situation itself, I was convinced to continue with David Wagner and to go the right way, especially when the team is completely and in top shape again,” the 50-year-old continued.
In retrospect one is “always smarter. But I’m not someone who says: I don’t make mistakes or I don’t make wrong decisions,” emphasized Schneider.
But even under the successor tree, the S04 success did not materialize. The Revierklub has been waiting for a win for 26 games. The game against FC Augsburg on Sunday could already be the final for the new Schalke coach.
When asked how many points Baum had to score against Augsburg, SC Freiburg and Arminia Bielefeld in order not to be fired, Schneider replied: “For me, it’s not about these three games as a block. It’s all about the game now in Augsburg. That is what we all focus on. ” Doesn’t sound like Baum would have a future as a Schalke coach if he lost again.
Schneider excludes resignation
The downward slide of FC Schalke 04 is also a burden for Schneider in his private life. “That does a lot to you. Your entire life suffers when you are stuck in such a long series of unsuccessful events,” the sports director openly admitted.
That affects every fan and everyone who works for Schalke. “It’s already colossally stressful. I can see how the situation is burdening my entire life,” said Schneider.
Resignation is out of the question for the 50-year-old. “Giving up is not an option for me. I will not run away,” he clarified: “I feel the responsibility for the club, for the staff, for the fans and also for the players.”
The fact that Schneider continues to enjoy the trust of the club is not a matter of course for him. “I would have every understanding if you say that is not good enough,” he emphasized.
Is FC Schalke 04 already planning for the 2nd Bundesliga?
With just three points from ten games, Schalke ranks last in the Bundesliga. From a sporting point of view, the miners don’t waste any thought on the 2nd Bundesliga.
“The other level is that a second division scenario for Schalke and many other Bundesliga clubs is nothing new,” Schneider clarified. In the course of licensing in March each year, the Revierklub, like many other first division clubs, submit a second division scenario if relegation is still possible in purely mathematical terms.
“As part of this, the necessary figures and measures are compiled in order to be able to play a game in the second division if necessary,” explained Schneider: “Of course, nobody can expect to go to the second division with a first division budget – that’s what a significant reduction in cost structures is necessary. We are working intensively on solutions and are doing everything to be well positioned in both scenarios.
Schneider explains Harit extension
In the interview, Schneider also spoke about problem professional Amine Harit. Schalke had only extended with the Moroccan a year ago, since then he has repeatedly attracted negative attention due to lack of discipline.
“Because Amine was – and is – a young player with great potential who only had a year and a half contract at the time,” said the official about the extension with the 23-year-old: “That means he would have started his last season in summer 2020 If he had then possibly gone free transfer in the summer of 2021, you would have asked: Why did you not renew with boys? “
With the fact that at Harit “it didn’t go as everyone imagined”, one has to live with Schalke. “Amine, like everyone else, has not had a good year. We are all asked, especially Amine, to show the performance that led to him signing a new contract a year ago,” Schneider said of the attacker in duty.
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