Gelsenkirchen –
Tricky search, surprising choice – Frank Kramer should make FC Schalke 04 a fixture in the Bundesliga again. After several weeks of speculation as to who could succeed interim coach Mike Büskens, the promoted team is about to announce the key personnel.
Initially, several media reported unanimously that Kramer, who was later released from Arminia Bielefeld on April 20, should be officially presented on Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, Schalke also invited to a press conference where a new coach was presented. However, they did not name Frank Kramer.
Büskens also acted as a coach
Reports about alleged and unsuccessful negotiations with Thomas Letsch (Arnhem), former Bundesliga professional Vincent Kompany (Anderlecht) and the new Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz had previously caused the fans to guess. Conjectures that sports director Peter Knäbel and sports director Rouven Schröder could even fall back on the promotion hero Büskens as a constant this time should now finally prove to be unfounded.
The time that Schalke’s sports director Schröder and Kramer spent together at Greuther Fürth from 2013 to 2014 may have been the deciding factor for the 50-year-old. Another plus for the former coach of various German U-national teams and the clubs from Fürth, Hoffenheim, Düsseldorf and Bielefeld could have been his preference for running-intensive games that go well with Schalke’s image as a hard-working club.
Big mortgage for candidate Kramer
As previously agreed, Büskens, who was celebrated as a promotion hero at Schalke, will return to his old position as assistant coach. The long-time Schalke professional, who won the UEFA Cup with the Revierclub in 1997, succeeded Dimitrios Grammozis on an interim basis and led the team back to the top flight with eight wins in nine games.
“I think it’s right that he’s now going back to the second rank, because as an assistant coach he can always bring in his ideas,” former club coach Huub Stevens recently told the German Press Agency. “At Schalke, people must always be responsible who have known the club for a long time and are real Schalke – like him and ‘Asa’ (Gerald Asamoah).” Büskens wants to focus on promoting young professionals again in the new season .
Despite all the advantages, this constellation in the coaching staff would also be a burden for the new head coach Kramer. After all, Büskens could be seen as a shadow coach who would quickly be available as an alternative in the event of failure. Edin Terzic had taken on a similar role with the district rival from Dortmund and thus possibly accelerated the separation from Marco Rose. (dpa)
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