The German football fraternity has reacted with shock after learning about FC Schalke 04 coach Ralf Rangnick’s decision to step down from his position. Rangnick disclosed that he is suffering from the fatigue syndrome.

German football officials and players expressed their respect for Rangnick and all of them hope to see him back on the bench in the months and years to come.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Indian-origin coach Robin Dutt made the most emotional statement to put things into the right perspective.

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This is what coaches and officials had to say:

Joachim Löw (Coach, German national team)
“It shows strength when you sense the batteries are empty and you admit it openly. It is a courageous and right decision. As surprising as his reaction is for everybody it is consistent because he has made it clear that health comes above everything. I wish Ralf a swift recovery.”

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Theo Zwanziger (President, German FA – DFB)
“I regret the resignation of Ralf Rangnick, whom I respect highly as a coach. I wish him a speedy recovery and I hope he will return to the Bundesliga some day. I highly admire his decision to make his illness public. Maybe the situation has changed a little bit in the tough football world, since all the discussions evoked by the tragic death of Robert Enke. Maybe the tolerance for weakness and illness has changed in the last two years. I at least hope so.”

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Robin Dutt (Coach, Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
“I think it is a really sad news. If you know Ralf and if you know how passionate he is about football and his love for his club, you’ll know how tough it must have been for him to take this decision. Coaches put pressure on players, players on coaches, media on coaches, media on players, fans on player, fans on coaches – everyone is putting pressure on each other, because we all think football is the most important thing in the world. That’s how we live. We have to accept that football is not the most important thing in the world.”

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Jürgen Klopp (Coach, Borussia Dortmund)
“I thought of a different scenario, when I heard the news earlier today. The news said that Ralf is steppping down due to illness and I thought of a immediate life-threatening illness. I was happy to hear that it was not the case. But it left me pondering, when I learnt about the real background.”

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Felix Magath (Coach, VfL Wolfsburg)
“I admire Ralf Rangnick for taking this step. He deserves the highest respect for his decision.”

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Thomas Schaaf (Coach, SV Werder Bremen)
“The burdens have been always there in football. On the other hand we have to cope with new charges day by day. Ralf was never a coach who ran away from the challenges he faced.”

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Markus Babbel (Coach, Hertha BSC Berlin)
“I was informed about Ralf’s resignation during our training session and I felt a great distress. You can think about him want you want, but you never wish such a situation to anyone. He is one of the faces of the Bundesliga. You really feel upset to know that even coaches have to face this illness nowadays.”

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Thomas Tuchel (Coach, FSV Mainz 05)
“I am not at all surprised that Bundesliga coaches are prone to this manager illness. It is also important for me to discipline myself and be aware of the importance of mental and emotional regeneration.”