After the dismissal of the coach at Schalke 04: This man should lead a traditional club to promotion

Created: 07/03/2022, 19:41

By: Patrick Freiwah

Schalke 04 around Ko Itakura (from left) and Co. get a new trainer in the fight for promotion to the second Bundesliga.

© IMAGO/Ralf Treese

After parting ways with the coach, FC Schalke 04 hired a successor to lead the club back into the Bundesliga.

It's a club legend.

Gelsenkirchen/Munich - Just one day after the dismissal of Dimitrios Grammozis, Schalke 04 * already has a successor who will be responsible for the sporting fortunes on an interim basis until the end of the season: Mike Büskens.

The 53-year-old declared his willingness to take over his ex-club, which was once again in trouble, and to try to achieve the goal of promotion back to the Bundesliga with sixth place in the table.

FC Schalke relies on coach Büskens: "He lives in Gelsenkirchen 24 hours a day"

After the recent home bankruptcy against Hansa Rostock (3: 4), predecessor Grammozis, who had only taken over the "Knappen" in the summer of 2021, had to resign.

"He lives with Schalke and Gelsenkirchen 24 hours a day and will do everything to ensure that we have the chance of promotion until the last matchday," said 04 sporting director Rouven Schröder about the promotion.

Büskens can be described as a club legend at FC Schalke: In 1997, the then left winger and his teammates from the "Eurofighter" won the Uefa Cup final against Inter Milan.

Büskens has been a coach for a number of years, taking care of youngsters at Schalke, Fortuna Düsseldorf and SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the 2nd Bundesliga*.

Now the ex-professional is moving up one level from the position of assistant coach.

Schalke 04 hopes to return to the Bundesliga - six points behind in third place

"When Rouven approached me with the club's request, I first tried to talk to my family and Huub Stevens.

Everyone advised me to take on the task until the end of the season, ”said Büskens, who celebrated the greatest Schalke club success under the Dutch cult coach.

The "Royal Blues" are currently six points behind the promotion places with nine games left.

They are currently tied on points by SV Darmstadt and FC St. Pauli, one point behind leaders SV Werder Bremen.

Schalke's previous assistant coach Mike Büskens takes over the post as head coach.

© Guido Kirchner/dpa

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