🔵 Gelsenkirchen Shakes Up the 2. Bundesliga with New Coach Miron Muslic
In newspaper terms: FC Schalke 04 Announces Muslim as the New Head Coach
Gelsenkirchen (dpa) - It's a fresh chapter for FC Schalke 04 as Miron Muslic takes the helm as their new coach, signing a contract that'll keep him with the second division football club until 2027. Muslic, a 42-year-old coaching pro, hails from England after leaving Plymouth Argyle, who fell to the second division recently.
"I'm beyond grateful for the faith the Schalke brass has shown me. From day one, our conversations were filled with candor," Muslic shared in a club communique, discussing his plans for the club's future. He cited detailed talks with Schalke's key decision-makers about their ambitions and his contributions to the King Blues.
From Belgium to Ruhr: Muslic's Biggest Success
Schalke triggered an exit clause in Muslic's contract, shelling out a mid-six-figure sum plus bonuses. Both sides agreed on confidentiality regarding terms of the deal.
While Muslic may be an unfamiliar name in German football circles, he's no rookie. His most significant success came in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, qualifying them for the UEFA Conference League last summer. Born in 1982 in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muslic immigrated to Austria with his family when he was young, where he both played and coached.
Klopp-inspired Vision
Muslic draws inspiration from Jurgen Klopp, legendary coach of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke's arch-rivals. However, Muslic's primary focus at Schalke isn't just attractive play, but rather reestablishing the club in the Bundesliga mid-term.
"Miron has demonstrated impressive knowledge and communicative skills," praised upcoming Schalke sports director Frank Baumann. He lauded Muslic's ability to rally teams and his distinctive coaching style, both crucial at Schalke. Baumann emphasized Muslic's leadership potential and resilience, essential qualities the club needs.
Last season proved disappointing for Schalke. New coach Karel Geraerts was fired, replaced by Kees van Wonderen. Unfortunately, the Dutchman failed to deliver desired results, leaving Schalke battling relegation until the end of the season. Interim coach Jakob Fimpel finished the campaign with Schalke in 14th place.
Management Musical Chairs at Schalke
Coaching instability has been a struggle at Schalke. After a vice-championship in 2018, the club parted ways with Domenico Tedesco in spring 2019. Since then, 12 different coaches have ruled the turf for Schalke, with three - Huub Stevens, Matthias Kreutzer, and Fimpel - serving in interim roles twice.
The last Schalke coach to remain for at least two years was Mirko Slomka, who managed the club from January 2006 to April 2008. Muslic is expected to bring much-needed durability to the club's coaching position.
Plymouth Argyle expressed their discontent before the transfer was made official. In a statement, the club voiced its dismay about Muslic's talks with a "2. Bundesliga club." They shared their frustration about the decision, since Muslic had only recently joined the club as head coach.
Schalke's statement touched on this too. "First and foremost, I'd like to thank Plymouth Argyle for allowing me to negotiate with FC Schalke 04," Muslic was quoted as saying.
Despite his recent tenure with Plymouth Argyle in England, Miron Muslic's focus now shifts towards European-leagues football as he aims to reestablish FC Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga. In his prior coaching stint, Muslic led Cercle Brugge in Belgium to qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
