Frank Kramer is to become the new coach at FC Schalke 04. As several media reported on Whit Monday, the 50-year-old football teacher will succeed interim coach Mike Büskens, who led the Revierclub back into the Bundesliga. Kramer was most recently under contract with Arminia Bielefeld, who had been relegated to the Bundesliga, from whom he was released in April after seven games in a row without a win. According to “Bild” and “Sport Bild” as well as “WAZ” and Sky, the native of Memminger should be officially presented this Tuesday.
It is possible that Schalke’s sports director Rouven Schröder and Kramer spent time together at Greuther Fürth in 2013 and 2014, which was the reason for the surprising decision. Most recently, Thomas Letsch (Arnhem) and former Bundesliga professional Vincent Kompany (Anderlecht) were traded as possible candidates for the royal blue coaching post.
As previously agreed, Büskens, celebrated at Schalke as a “promotion hero”, will return to his old position as assistant coach. The long-time Schalke professional, who won the UEFA Cup with the Revierclub in 1997, succeeded Dimitrios Grammozis on an interim basis and led the team back to the top flight with eight wins in nine games.
“I think it’s right that he’s now going back to the second rank, because as an assistant coach he can always bring in his ideas,” former club coach Huub Stevens recently told the German Press Agency. “At Schalke, people must always be responsible who have known the club for a long time and are real Schalke – like him and ‘Asa’ (Gerald Asamoah).” Büskens wants to focus on promoting young professionals again in the new season .
Despite all the advantages, this constellation in the coaching staff could prove to be difficult for the new head coach Kramer. After all, Büskens could be seen as a shadow coach who would quickly be available as an alternative in the event of failure. Edin Terzic had taken on a similar role with the district rival from Dortmund and thus possibly accelerated the separation from Marco Rose. (dpa)
