After the third defeat in a row, Schalke coach Kramer is under more and more pressure. The 50-year-old is still on the bench against Hoffenheim on Friday, but it will probably be a final.
Gelsenkirchen (dpa / lnw) - The pressure is increasing, the search for a successor has probably already begun. After only three months as coach of FC Schalke 04, Frank Kramer is already threatened with the end. Kramer should have been alarmed at the latest since the worrying 0: 4 (0: 2) on Saturday in the crisis duel at Bayer Leverkusen. Sports director Rouven Schröder initially made no further attempt to support Kramer after the district club's poor performance, which was not suitable for the Bundesliga. Schröder didn't even want to speak after the game. He later had a statement about the club spread that appears unequivocal: "Our team's performance today disappointed us beyond measure." You can hardly express your dissatisfaction more clearly.
On Sunday, however, after an objective analysis with everyone involved, Kramer led the player replacement training. On Friday against 1899 Hoffenheim he will be on the bench again. But it could be the last time for now if there is a fourth defeat in a row. "The coaching staff around Frank Kramer, the team, we are all challenged to show an improved performance in all respects against Hoffenheim," said the statement from the sporting management. The many fans who had traveled with us had already made their displeasure known on Saturday and at the end of the game they clearly and repeatedly shouted "Kramer out".
The 50-year-old has hardly had much credit in the area since he took office after being promoted again under interim coach Mike Büskens. Arminia Bielefeld's former coach was viewed too critically as a temporary solution. According to reports, Schröder had previously tried in vain to find other candidates.
The reason why some had waved their hands off was clear again on Saturday: The existing squad of the clammy traditional club is hardly suitable for the Bundesliga. "That wasn't good," admitted goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow and Kramer said: "Today we were clearly the inferior team. We weren't able to defend the pace too often and weren't clear enough in our build-up." This was nicely paraphrased for the unbearable pounding without a recognizable game idea.
Otherwise, Kramer's statement sounded very much like a continuous slogan of perseverance. "We also showed that we can get up when we're struck down," Kramer said. "My job is to analyze and find solutions with the players so that we can do better next week. Anything else is not my concern."
The top candidate for a possible successor is the former Bochum coach Thomas Reis, who allegedly would have liked to come in the summer but was not given the go-ahead. Meanwhile, Reis is on leave with his unloved neighbor and would be available.
