A Muslim Aspires to Emulate Klopp at Dortmund (BVB)

FC Schalke 04 Stuns Fans with Unfamiliar New Coach

After a whirlwind day of speculation, FC Schalke 04 has announced Miron Muslic as its new head coach. The unexpected appointment has left many fans scratching their heads, as Muslic is an unknown figure in German football.

New sporting director Frank Baumann, who began his tenure with Schalke on Sunday, broke the mold by bringing in a largely unheralded trainer with limited name recognition in Germany. Previous appointments in 2023 and 2024 resulted in missteps, with Karel Geraerts and Kees van Wonderen both failing to live up to expectations.

Muslic, a 42-year-old Austrian-Bosnian, has recently been relegated with Plymouth Argyle FC from the English Championship to League One. The English club expressed disappointment at Muslic's impending departure, having introduced new structures to support him. Muslic is set to sign a contract with Schalke, which will run until June 2027.

Muslic's career took off in Austria, where he played and coached at SV Ried in the Austrian Bundesliga. Additionally, he spent time as an assistant coach at Cercle Brugge in Belgium, a perennial relegation candidate. His stars rose after he was promoted to head coach in September 2022, leading the team to the Conference League in 2023/2024. With a young squad, Cercle became the most effective pressing team in Europe's top leagues. Muslic's football philosophy reflects Jürgen Klopp's style at Borussia Dortmund.

However, Muslic's tenure at Cercle ended after a season marked by overextension with a triple burden of league, cup, and European Cup, which ultimately resulted in relegation danger. Muslic departed on December 2, 2024, and took the helm of Plymouth Argyle just three weeks later, prioritizing a move to English football due to its energetic and honest style. During his time at Plymouth, the team faced relegation but managed a notable victory over reigning champions Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Baumann's decision to appoint Muslic goes against the grain as Schalke seeks to address the flaws evident in previous hires. The prospect of managing in the Bundesliga offers Muslic a significant stage and the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of 60,000 fans every two weeks. As the ninth head coach in the last nine years, Muslic takes charge as Schalke looks to climb out of the Second Division cellar.

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Muslic has extensive experience at the top level in the Austrian Bundesliga, as well as notable accomplishments in Belgium and England. Most recently, he led Plymouth's revitalization and was credited with adjusting the squad to improve performances, despite challenging circumstances such as a lack of support structures. His ability to handle managerial responsibilities independently demonstrates his tactical acumen and resilience under pressure.

Sports analysts are intrigued by the appointment of Miron Muslic, the new coach of FC Schalke 04, as he transitions from managing Plymouth Argyle in the English football leagues. Most recently, Muslic demonstrated his ability to revitalize a struggling team, even with limited support structures, leading Plymouth to a notable victory over the reigning champions, Liverpool, in the FA Cup.

His extensive experience in top-tier leagues, including the Austrian Bundesliga, Belgium, and now potentially the European-leagues' Premier League with Schalke, suggests that he may be the key to addressing the club's recent coaching missteps. With Muslic's football philosophy reminiscent of Jürgen Klopp's style at Borussia Dortmund, fans are excited to see how he will implement his tactics in Germany.

As Schalke strives to climb out of the Second Division cellar, the football world will be watching closely to see if Muslic can turn the team's fortunes around, drawing parallels between his recent successes in England and the challenges that lie ahead in the Premier League.