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FC Schalke 04 part ways with head coach Domenico Tedesco

Chris Punnakkattu Daniel and Domenico Tedesco. (© CPD Football)
Chris Punnakkattu Daniel and Domenico Tedesco. © CPD Football

FC Schalke 04 have decided to part ways with their head coach Domenico Tedesco as a result to a disastrous campaign in the ongoing 2018/19 season. Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up is currently ranked 14th in the league, while they bowed out of the UEFA Champions League after a 1-7 thrashing at Manchester City on Tuesday.

The UEFA Champions League humiliation sealed the fate of Tedesco as the club board met yesterday and concluded that they need to take immediate action. Former head coach and current member of the supervisory board Huub Stevens will take charge of the team on an interim basis for the Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig this weekend.

FC Schalke 04 statement

Jochen Schneider had announced that the board were to meet and analyse Schalke 04’s current sporting situation. They came to the following decision: Head coach Domenico Tedesco and assistant coach Peter Perchtold have been relieved of their duties with immediate effect. Seppo Eichkorn, who joined the coaching team after the winter break, will return to his position as head scout.

Huub Stevens will take charge of the team on an interim basis for the Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig this weekend (Saturday 16th March). He’ll be supported by Mike Büskens as his assistant manager.

“This decision was anything but easy, as we really appreciate Domenico Tedesco at Schalke. He developed the side very well last season that ended with us finishing runners-up,” said Jochen Schneider. “However, we can’t fail to recognise that the development this season has been negative. When I took the job, I demanded a turnaround due to the current situation in the Bundesliga. After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that this wouldn’t be possible with the current staff,” he added.

Therefore, FC Schalke 04 decided to part company with immediate effect. “Domenico Tedesco deserves our thanks for the work he did over the past two years. He has always conducted himself commendably and fully identified with the club and its values.”

Stevens and Buskens to take charge of RB Leipzig clash

Huub Stevens previously coached the Royal Blues on two occasions, from 1996 to 2002 and 2011 to 2012 and was voted by the fans as coach of the century after winning the UEFA Cup in 1997, the DFB Pokal in 2001 and 2002 and a second place Bundesliga finish in 2001. Stevens also lead the side to the Champions League in 2011 after securing a third place finish in the league.

Mike Büskens is also taking on respinsibility of the team. Büskens played under Stevens in his first spell in charge of the club and was assistant coach of the Royal Blues between 2008 and 2009. Büskens has taken interim charge of the club for six games in 2007/2008 and the last nine games of the 2008/2009 season.

The appointment of Huub Stevens as interim coach, who is currently a board member of the club, was made in agreement with the club’s supervisory board.