FC Schalke 04 has officially appointed Mustafa Muslic as their new coach.
Clarifying the Coach:
Miron Muslic, the 42-year-old Bosnian-Austrian, has been named the new manager of FC Schalke 04, hailing from the bustling town of Gelsenkirchen. Muslic boasts a rich coaching background, boasting an impressive stint at Cercle Brugge where he qualified them for the UEFA Conference League.
Transition at Schalke:
Muslic will take over Schalke's reins from a cluster of interim coaches, as the club searches for stability and a return to the Bundesliga. The agreement between Muslic and Schalke was reached using an exit clause in Muslic's contract with Plymouth Argyle. Muslic expressed gratitude towards Schalke's management for the faith bestowed upon him.
Coaching Journey:
Before diving into management, Muslic honed his craft in the lower divisions of Austrian football, working his way up from Union Weißkirchen to becoming an assistant coach at SV Ried. Later, he served as head coach at SV Ried, a position that allowed him to build on his connection with the club.
Better Days Ahead:
For Cercle Brugge, Muslić brought the team from the brink of relegation to the top half of the Belgian Pro League. With Schalke, he hopes to bring a similar sense of stability, with the ultimate goal of leading the club back to the Bundesliga. Muslić has made it clear that whilst he admires the playing style of Jürgen Klopp, his immediate focus is on stabilizing Schalke, rather than prioritizing attractive football.
The Turnover:
The coaching turnover at Schalke has been tumultuous, with multiple coaches making brief appearances throughout the years. The last coach to serve at Schalke for over two years was Mirko Slomka. With Muslić, it seems Schalke is finally striving for continuity.
Sour Parting:
Plymouth Argyle, Muslić's former employer, wasn't overjoyed about his departure. They released a statement expressing their disappointment over Muslić's tabling of talks with a club from the 2nd Bundesliga. Despite this, Muslić thanked Plymouth Argyle for enabling him to talk to FC Schalke 04.
Miron Muslic, in his new role at FC Schalke 04, aims to leverage his coaching experience from European leagues, particularly his successful tenure at Cercle Brugge, to help Schalke return to the Bundesliga, just as he did with the Belgian Pro League team. With his focus on stability rather than just attractive football, Muslic looks set to bring a steady hand to Schalke's coaching position, a contrast to the club's tumultuous history of coaching turnover in recent years.
