Schalke 04 yearns for Raul, yet grapples with staying afloat
The position of the previous trainer is vacant at Schalke, and they're yearning for his return. Raul, a name from the past, is being heavily touted in the offices, distancing them further from the harsh reality of their current situation. Reality, in this case, means they're grappling with the possibility of relegation, with an interim trainer who's suffered defeats in his last five matches.
There's a humongous desire in Gelsenkirchen, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the savior who will steer Schalke 04 back to success. Karel Geraerts, who began with promising prospects, has failed again, and the search is on once more. Even as the trainer dilemma gains traction once more, Schalke's urgent need is points.
Sliding towards 16th place in the relegation zone last weekend, following a 5:3 defeat against Darmstadt, who've been entrenched in a series of crises for months, doesn't paint a pretty picture. Their home game against Hertha BSC, as well as their recent away game against Preußen Münster, are crucial for points. Preußen Münster celebrated their first victory of the season the previous weekend against Jahn Regensburg.
What were officials in Madrid searching for?
Schalke's authorities, led by Director of Professional Football Ben Manga, are reportedly taking their time until the mid-October international break to decide on Geraerts' successor. The focus seems to be on international talents again, as it was during the commitment of the Belgian a year ago.
Raul's name is also in the mix. The Spanish striker, who resonated with Schalke's supporters with his goals and charisma between 2010 and 2012, now leads RM Castilla, Real Madrid's second team. Manga and Schalke's CEO Matthias Tillmann visited Madrid last week, but there's no clarity on whether it was in search of the former Real star.
Manga, under contract with Schalke until 2024, holds a lot of power following Geraerts' dismissal and Wilmots' departure. His actions will be under intense scrutiny in the coming weeks. After a recent round with journalists, he made some comments regarding the trainer issue and later retracted them, attributing it to their background nature.
Fimpel clarifies his stance
Regardless of who succeeds Geraerts, 35-year-old Fimpel, without the proper coaching license for a long-term appointment as head coach, will return to the U23 team. His U23 team suffered five consecutive losses in the Regionalliga West after a promising start with 7 points.
Despite this, Fimpel included U23 captain Tim Albutat in the first team and sent players like Steve Noode, Mauro Zalazar, Peter Remmert, and Aris Bayindir to the youth team. Dominick Drexler also won't be considered. Drexler fell out with Geraerts and hasn't been allowed to participate in team training since - and it appears, this will continue even if a new coaching hope is found.
In the ongoing search for a new trainer at Schalke, the desire for a soccer savior is palpable, with Raul's name frequently being mentioned due to his past successes with the team. Despite their current struggles, Schalke's upcoming games against Hertha BSC and Preußen Münster are crucial for securing much-needed points.
