FC Schalke 04 Officially Appoints Muslim as Their New Coach
FC Schalke 04 announces Miron Muslic as their new coach, signing him to a contract that extends until June 30, 2027. The 42-year-old coach joins the German second division club from English League Two's Plymouth Argyle, following the activation of an exit clause in his contract.
Muslic expressed his gratitude towards the club for their trust in his abilities, having had fruitful discussions with the decision-makers about Schalke's expectations and his potential contributions. Jürgen Klopp, the long-time coach of Schalke's arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, serves as Muslić's coaching role model.
Schalke will pay Muslic a mid-six-figure sum, plus bonuses, as outlined in the agreement. The exact financial details of the deal have been kept confidential by both parties.
Miron Muslic is relatively unknown in German football, yet he has shown impressive results in Belgium. With Cercle Bruges in the 2023-24 season, he steered the team to qualification for the UEFA Conference League – a significant accomplishment for the club. Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and raised in Austria, Muslić played football and started his coaching career in Austria before moving to Belgium.
The 1982-born coach has demonstrated leadership and resilience that will be essential for Schalke's future. Frank Baumann, who assumes the role of Schalke's sports director this Sunday, expressed his admiration for Muslić's expertise and communication skills, as well as his ability to motivate groups and maintain a distinct style of play on and off the pitch.
Schalke endured a disappointing season leading up to Muslić's appointment, struggling in the relegation battle throughout. Former coaches Karel Geraerts, Kees van Wonderen, and interim coach Jakob Fimpel all failed to achieve the desired success, leaving Schalke desperately seeking stability and a return to the Bundesliga.
Muslić is Schalke's twelfth different coach in the past few years, following the departure of Domenico Tedesco in 2019. Mirko Slomka, who coached the club from January 2006 to April 2008, is the last Schalke coach to have served at least two years in the position.
Notably, Plymouth Argyle, Muslić's previous employer, had already expressed its dissatisfaction with Muslić's talks with "a club from the second division." Muslić acknowledged Argyle's frustration in a statement, expressing his gratitude for having been granted the opportunity to engage with FC Schalke 04. The departure of Muslić comes just seven months after he took over as head coach of Plymouth Argyle in January.
Miron Muslic, the newly appointed coach of FC Schalke 04, aims to leverage his impressive results in European leagues, specifically with Cercle Bruges in Belgium, where he led the team to the qualification for the UEFA Conference League. As he joins the German second division club, Muslic's coaching role model, Jürgen Klopp, serves as an inspiration in the premier league of European football.
