leaderless Königsblauen return
By: Porter |
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The Bundesliga returns to action this Friday after the international break with Schalke’s visit of Arminia Bielefeld.
For Schalke, their visit of Bielefeld comes on the heels of letting go coach Fred Rutten, a few weeks after the unceremonious firing of twenty-year man Andreas Müller. While the club will likely deny it, their dealing of the matter is the not-so well kept secret amongst coaching professionals. Oliver Kahn announced very publicly that he has “business affairs” tying him up through the balance of the year and Slaven Bilić’s gig with Croatia and Rawbau has ruled him out. With Schalke in eighth place and in-need of a powerful late season surge for the Europa League, they will be led by the coaching collective of Fred Rutten’s assistants Mike Büskens, Youri Mulder and Oliver Reck.
How Schalke handles this leaderless final two months is a matter that will be proved out in-time but it is quite obviously been mismanaged by the board. To effectively rid your top two leaders, one part of the clubs fabric for the last two decades is lunacy at this time of year particularly given they didn’t have anyone tied up for the position. For a team playing like a mid-table side in the second half of the season, there is absolutely no way these actions can be seen as “motivating” and whoever decided this was a course of action to take should find themselves in the unemployment line.
Category: Schalke Team News
Slaven Bilić turns down Königsblauen
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Die Königsblauen hopes of attracting Slaven Bilić to the club ended as the Croatian manager and Rawbau guitarist told Bild:
“The people from Schalke were in Zagreb on Sunday and we spoke. It is a huge honour for me to be considered a candidate with such a big club. I thanked them and repeated that I just want to focus on the Croatia national team at the moment.”
Category: Schalke Team NewsFred Rutten out of Königsblauen
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Schalke acknowledged today that Fred Rutten’s reign which started in July 2008 has now come to a close. Originally reported to be effective at the end of the season, the hopeless situation was averted and the Dutch coaches elimination is immediate. Assistants Mike Büskens, Youri Mulder and Oliver Reck will lead on a temporary basis. Since the unceremonious elimination of Andreas Müller as general manager, Schalke has been looking for a replacement with Matthias Sammer, Oliver Bierhoff, Oliver Kahn and Heribert Bruchhagen listed as the top candidates. Most likely, once this position if filled the next step will to bring on a coach.
Category: Schalke Team NewsHeimniederlage der Königsblauen
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Schalke’s poor record in the second half of the season continued today with a 2-1 loss against HSV in Gelsenkirchen. It was the club’s successive loss since the elimination of Andreas Müller and with the club now eighth in the table the club is looking very much like a leadership ship.
Their were few changes to Fred Rutten’s defensive minded lineup and as shown in previous matches, Schalke lacked the vision to attack and relied mostly on the approach of trying to resist the oppositions scoring. The early stages of the match was dominated by HSV possession however three minutes before the half hour Schalke narrowly missed taking the lead after Jefferson Farfán and Kevin Kurányi played a smooth one-two and sent the ball to Heiko Westermann whose effort from eight metres out was saved. That attempt aside, HSV returned to show greater attacking vision and confidence.
After the break Fred Rutten’s side seemed to wake-up, albeit somewhat groggy, from a long winters nap and started to press for the lead. Attempts were mostly low probability efforts but still it showed an intention to score, which is more that can be said of the first forty-five minutes. With twenty minutes to go Manuel Neuer made a crucial error trying to head the ball out to Benedikt Höwedes but instead provided the ball to HSV’s Paolo Guerrero for an easy goal. Now up by one HSV took complete command of the match via a counter assault led by Marcell Jansen who cross to Guerrero was closed out from three metres. Down by two and watching the season fall apart, Fred Rutten brought in Christian Pander for Levan Kobiashvili but kept Gerald Asamoah on the bench, when a double substitution for a great attacking pulse was without question needed. With ten minutes remaining Schalke hopes were lifted as a long ball found Kevin Kurányi, who then crossed to Jefferson Farfán for a close range volley in. Down by one, Schalke could do little more to find the needed goal and lost 2-1.
Category: Schalke Team NewsDie Königsblauen return from Wolfsburg without points
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Schalke returned to action after the tumultous departure of Andreas Müller with a 4-3 loss to Wolfsburg. The loss leaves the Gelsenkirchen side side in eighth position but through a series of poor performances by a number of top six clubs there still is hope for European Football.
Felix Magath’s side was stunned as Schalke scored nine minutes in from Jermaine Jones long ball to Heiko Westermann that was sent into the net by the German international. While it should be no surprise Wolfsburg benefitted from another penalty being awarded as with ten minutes remaining Grafite fell like tree as Ivan Rakitić was adjudged to fouling the Brazilian. Taking the penalty himself, Grafite leveled the match. A loss in defending concentration gave the hosts the lead just before the break as Grafite crossed to Bosnian Edin Džeko and the goal scorer finished without fail. After few attacking chances by Schalke after the break, Wolfsburg increased its margin as Zvjezdan Misimović provided Grafite the ball and after “out-wanting” the chance, he sent the ball in. Jermaine Jones provided a life-line two minutes later from twelve metres out but Wolfsburg killed off the match with five minutes remaining as Grafite scored the third of the match. A late goal added-time goal by Kevin Kurányi made it close but there wasn’t enough time to level and Schalke went down to defeat.
Category: Schalke Team NewsNiedersachsen
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Following last weeks 1-0 defeat of Köln have moved to within five points a European spot. In a odd set of circumstances the Bundesliga race is wide open as four teams are tied in second position. This is due in-part to a consistent series of upsets from bottom table clubs since in the second-half of the season and effectively breathes life back into Schalke’s faint European hopes.
While the trip to Niedersachsen opponents Wolfsburg is clearly of epic importance, the match will be set with the unique backdrop of this weeks unceremonious parting of Andreas Müller after twenty years of service. Although it is unlikely to have a direct impact upon play this weekend, certainly Fred Rutten will want to prove why his job was spared.
VfL is the team to-beat since the restart as they have collected five straight victories and based upon UEFA Cup and the Pokal have made league play their focus. Edin Džeko, Zvjezdan Misimović and Grafite have been virtually unstoppable, thus making this a match-up against the best defending group in the Bundesliga against one of the most attack minded ones. Fred Rutten faces the match without Levan Kenia and likely Marcelo Bordon, who was injured in practice.
Category: Schalke Team NewsKönigsblauen parting ways with Kevin Kurányi?
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On the heels of long-term Schalke-man Andreas Müller departure, Bild is reporting that Russian powerhouse Lokomotiv Moskva has made an offer for Kevin Kurányi. While the German international has been off the mark recently it is unlikely that Schalke would give up their top striker at this stage of the year. Equally stated the Russian club has reiterated its desire to reduce cash outflows and has been trying to bring cash in through the sale of Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie, thus making the rumour suspect.
Category: Schalke Team NewsAndreas Müller final day
By: Porter | 6 Comments
After playing for Schalke from 1988 to 2000 as a player and then taking over managerial duties in 2000, in which they won the DFB Pokal twice before becoming sporting director in 2006, the club have parted ways with Andreas Müller.
I have stated my opinion previously and find it disgusting, if not putrid that Mr. Müller was let go. To let go a man who gives the balance of his adult life to a club is reprehensible to me and given that I have been around many that “bleed” the colours of their club as part of their “heritage/home”, I know what this does to the man. History can’t be bought but it was just thrown away as twenty years of service does not come easy. In a horribly difficult season, where hopes of championships have been lost, the club has just made an extraordinary error in judgment.
Category: Schalke Team Newsimportant win for Königsblauen
By: Porter | 2 Comments
Desperate for a victory after the loss in the DFB-Pokal to FC Mainz, Schalke responded with a 1-0 victory over Köln. As the score suggests the match was far from easy and there was definitely a number of fortunate misses by Köln that otherwise would have brought the match level. Akin to a high powered car driven by someone afraid to get out of first gear, the tactical style of Schalke after the break was so reserved that they came very close to giving up the victory.
From the mid-week match Fred Rutten brought in Benni Höwedes for Marcelo Bordon alongside Mladen Krstajić and Ivan Rakitić for Orlando Engelaar. After a very cautious ten minutes the match began to open up in Schalke’s favour. Quickly Köln seemed accepting of the attack and unwilling to risk going forward. At the fifteenth minute Köln defender Marvin Matip did well to block Ivan Rakitić’s drive from in the box. Nine minutes later the guests nearly scored when Milivoje Novakovič’s curling free kick hooked just enough to go wide. However Schalke found the winning goal three minutes before the half hour with a picture-perfect play. With a long ball to Kevin Kurányi down the left side, the striker turned the ball into Vicente Sánchez who then sent a incredible back heel to Ivan Rakitić. The Croatian international controlled the ball with his chest and then sent the ball back to Jermaine Jones, who hammered into the net from the edge of the area. Köln was well on their heels and Schalke looked to double the margin a with four minutes left in the half Kevin Kurányi close range effort from a Jermaine Jones cross, was saved by ‘keeper Faryd Mondragón but the rebound came back and struck a falling Kurányi on his hand and went into the net. While for a moment it looked like the goal would stand it was quickly called back with both Kurányi and Mondragón sharing a few laughs about it.
At the restart it became obvious that Schalke had lost their momentum and quickly were playing very cautious. Köln picked up on this and grew in confidence. Just past the hour Petit’s free-kick was nudged on by Milivoje Novakovič to the back post but Youssef Mohamad missed the ball completely and Schalke kept its one goal advance. It was a horrible miss but a theme that Mohamad would repeat on two more occasions. Eleven minutes later whistles filled Veltins-Arena as Fred Rutten decided to replace Ivan Rakitić, who was having a great match, with Marcelo Bordon in a clear shift of formation and tactical philosophy. With eight minutes remaining Vicente Sánchez was replaced by Gerald Asamoah prompting further whistles as the Uruguayan international was inspiring and conversely Jefferson Farfán was dead weight for most of the match. As regulation time wound down Rafinha went into the area and after looking for a penalty was shown a yellow card for simulation. However in the final moments Manuel Neuer saved the day as he stopped Youssef Mohamad’s point blank effort and giving Schalke the 1-0 win.
Photo Credit: Schalke 04 (Copyright: firo sportphoto)
Category: Schalke Team NewsKönigsblauen need a reaction
By: Porter | 8 Comments
Following the recent disappointing loss Schalke are in dire need of a strong reaction against Köln in Gelsenkirchen. Pre-match talk by General Manager Andreas Müller and Fred Rutten have dealt with unstable situation and whether both could be let go. While supporters are naturally upset with the present situation, the notion of letting Mr. Müller go would be a serious error. You don’t “buy history” and letting go someone who has been with the club for twenty years is a path that shouldn’t never be tread on.
Speaking to Kicker he urged the club management to decide on his (and Coach Fred Rutten) future:
“Either you continue with us, or you draw the line, but you eventually have to reach the point where this thought process comes to an end and the result is made public.
“There have been rumours here for three months and that does not only damage me, but it also damages the club a lot more.”
Tactically Fred Rutten is very likely to give Danny Latza an early opportunity if not a position in the starting eleven and both Benni Höwedes and Christian Pander are available. Pressure is on Kevin Kurányi to produce after his mid-week stroll on the pitch was well below par. Christoph Daum’s side are in top form, beating Bayern München two weeks ago and have Milivoje Novakovič back from injury.
Photo Credit: Kicker (© picture-alliance)
Category: Schalke Team News
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