Schalke’s 3:5 defeat against Darmstadt after leading 3:0 has drastic consequences. The club fires coach Karel Geraerts and sports director Marc Wilmots.
After a bad start, FC Schalke 04 has made a radical change and parted ways with sporting director Marc Wilmots and coach Karel Geraerts. The second division football club announced this one day after the 3:5 defeat against SV Darmstadt 98. The Gelsenkirchen team made a more than disappointing start to the 2nd Bundesliga with four points from six matches.
“The board’s decision not to continue with Karel Geraerts is not only based on the lack of results and the defeat against Darmstadt, but rather on the negative overall development of the past few weeks,” said board chairman Matthias Tillmann. U23 coach Jakob Fimpel will take over as an interim solution.
Wilmots’ departure was more surprising than that of his Belgian compatriot. “In recent weeks we have had to realize that there are different views on how and in what direction we want to develop football at Schalke,” said Tillmann. However, from the board’s point of view, a common line is “fundamentally important”. Squad planner Ben Manga will take over sporting responsibility until further notice.
Schalke 04 botches the start of the season
After the defeat against Darmstadt, Geraerts was still fighting. “I’m a sportsman. I don’t give up,” said the 42-year-old. “I always keep going. That will be the case tomorrow, that will be the case next week. That will be the case for my entire football career.”
The completely crazy 3:5 result after a 3:0 lead was too much for the sporting management. On Saturday morning, Geraerts left the Schalke office with several packed bags.
The 42-year-old has not managed to form a sufficiently strong team after the major upheaval of the summer. Schalke repeatedly appeared vulnerable, especially in defence, and made some serious mistakes. 16 goals conceded speak for themselves.
After the 0:2 defeat at Karlsruher SC on matchday 5, Wilmots expressed his trust in Geraerts. “I just want to say one thing: There is no discussion about the coach,” said Wilmots after the match. Now the pressure became too great – and the Schalke club icon was also out.
Disagreements with the squad planner
In addition to the sporting deficits, differences of opinion between Geraerts and Manga had recently caused unrest at the club. Manga had determined that Geraerts did not rely on the players he had signed. Geraerts reacted with defiance and incomprehension.
The coach only joined FC Schalke last October. Having been relegated from the Bundesliga, the club was in a relegation battle from the 2nd division for a long time, but ultimately managed to escape. The Gelsenkirchen team wanted to stabilize itself this season with a lot of new staff and young, talented players. At least with Geraerts, that was not possible.
Source: Stern
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