Schalke 04, a football club in Germany’s second tier, has announced the immediate dismissal of their head coach, Kees van Wonderen and his co-coach, Robert Molenaar. The decision was made after the team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Paderborn, marking their fourth consecutive loss. The club’s management believes that the team’s underwhelming performance, particularly in their matches against Kaiserslautern (1-2) and Paderborn, warranted the decision to part ways with van Wonderen and Molenaar before the end of the season.
Interim Sport Director Youri Mulder stated, “The past two weeks’ performance and development give us cause for concern. We are now only six points away from the relegation spot and the trend is negative. Therefore, we have decided to act now. We have a responsibility towards the club.”
For the remaining two matches of the season – away against Fortuna Düsseldorf and at home against SV Elversberg – U23 coach Jakob Fimpel will take charge. Fimpel has previously managed the second-tier team during the first half of the season, specifically in their matches against Preußen Münster (2-1) and Hertha BSC (2-2). With this decision, Schalke 04 aims to turn their fortunes around and secure their place in the league for the next season.
The dismissal of van Wonderen and Molenaar comes as a surprise to many, considering their team’s previous success under their guidance. However, the club’s management believes that a change is necessary to improve the team’s performance and prevent them from falling into the relegation zone. As the season comes to an end, Schalke 04 will be closely watching their remaining matches and hoping for a positive outcome.
In conclusion, Schalke 04 has made the difficult decision to release their head coach and co-coach after a series of underwhelming performances. The club’s management believes that a change is necessary to improve the team’s performance and prevent them from falling into the relegation zone. The remaining matches of the season will be crucial for Schalke 04 as they hope to secure their place in the league for the next season.