2nd league
“I’m not panicking”: Geraerts wants to remain Schalke coach
Coach Karel Geraerts believes in turning things around at FC Schalke 04. photo
© Christophe Gateau/dpa
No access, no goals, hardly any possession of the ball: after Schalke’s frightening performance in Magdeburg, relegation worries are growing. But the coach believes in a turnaround.
Despite the increasing relegation concerns, Karel Geraerts is not thinking about resigning as coach at FC Schalke 04 and wants to turn things around. “I won’t give up. That’s the easiest thing you can do in life and in football. I won’t do it,” said the Belgian after the weak 0:3 at 1. FC Magdeburg. As 14th in the 2nd Bundesliga, Schalke is still four points clear of the relegation zone.
Only the results of the competition did not make the relegated team’s situation significantly worse. “That’s the only positive thing this weekend, that the teams around us didn’t manage a perfect result,” said Geraerts. Looking at the table doesn’t worry him yet: “I’m not panicking now.”
However, the performance of the FCM increases concerns. “That was terrible. I’m just at a loss for words,” said midfielder Paul Seguin, who was the only player to comment. On the Sky microphone he found even more drastic words. “I’m really fed up. It’s a constant up and down,” said the Magdeburg native. “You have to be honest: we’re just bad away from home.” He hopes “it’s going to be a blast this week. We’ve got pressure on us, we have to put our eggs on the table.”
Overrun almost defenseless
The Knappen didn’t even have 30 percent possession of the ball, and Schalke didn’t get their first shot on goal until the middle of the second half. Before that, the guests had almost no access to the game and allowed Magdeburg to overwhelm them almost defenselessly.
The Schalke fans who had traveled with them completely stopped their support in the second half in protest – which Geraerts could understand. “We can’t lie in the corner and cry. If the people around us lose faith, I can understand that,” said the 42-year-old. “But in the dressing room we have to keep faith, I will do everything to achieve that. If we lose faith, it’s over.”