Expelling Two Leaders at Schalke: Geraerts and Wilmots Face Ouster
Schalke 04's top brass called it quits on coach Karel Geraerts and sporting director Marc Wilmots following a crushing 3-5 loss to Darmstadt 98. The announcement came mere hours after the disappointing defeat. Stepping in on an interim basis is former U23 coach Jakob Fimpel, who will helm the team until the mid-October international break.
The writing was on the wall for Geraerts at Schalke. After less than a year in charge, he found himself packing his bags. Wilmots, who had previously supported Geraerts, was also shown the door. The club is in turmoil after only six games, placing them in the relegation zone for the majority of the first half of the season.
Matthias Tillmann, the club chairman, justified the decision by stating, "The board's decision to not carry on with Karel Geraerts isn't solely based on the poor results and Darmstadt defeat, but rather on the concerning developments of the past few weeks. Tactically and on the field, we haven't made the desired progress as a team or for individual players. As a consequence, we find ourselves stuck in the relegation zone."
Wilmots' departure came as a bit of a shock, particularly in contrast to his comrade's. Tillmann explained, "In recent weeks, we've seen that our views on the direction of football at Schalke and how to achieve it diverged. A shared vision, however, is crucial." In his absence, Ben Manga will temporarily manage the sporting side of things.
The club's statement praised Wilmots for his contributions in the second half of last season, describing him as a stabilizer that helped keep the team in the league. "We thank Marc for his work and his role during the second half of the previous season," its statement emphasized. "Marc is a Schalke legend as a Eurofighter and will forever be one, so we welcome him warmly whenever he returns."
Geraerts assumed his position in 2023 and led Schalke to a 10th place finish in the previous 2. Bundesliga season. This campaign, the team managed just one win with Geraerts at the helm, finding themselves in the relegation zone. A public spat between Geraerts and Manga had recently caused quite a fuss. Wilmots, a UEFA Cup champion in 1997, joined Schalke in mid-January, arriving with high expectations.
Despite leading Schalke to a respectable 10th place finish in the previous season, FC Schalke 04's current coach, Karel Geraerts, faced criticism due to the team's poor performance this season, leading to his eventual dismissal.In light of the team's struggles under Geraerts, it was announced that sporting director Marc Wilmots, who had previously supported him, would also be leaving the club. This leaves FC Schalke 04 in a period of transition with former U23 coach Jakob Fimpel stepping in as interim coach until the mid-October international break.
