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As fatal as 2020 was, the end of the year at Schalke is just as moody.

In any case, Huub Stevens is doing a lot to ensure at least a little cheer shortly before the last competitive game in the DFB Cup on Tuesday against SSV Ulm (6.30 p.m. / live Sky).

The Dutchman said on Monday that he could no longer be a coach at Schalke: "My coaching license is only valid on January 1st." It would have been "gone" before his fourth engagement at FC Schalke 04, he would have to apply for a new one to be able to help out with his heart club again.

But the license would expire at the end of the year.

When he was asked at the virtual press conference before the last game of the year whether he would apply for a new license for 2021, Stevens replied: “I can do that.” Question: “Are you doing it?” Stevens : "For me that is a knowledge - and for you the big question." People were allowed to laugh - which has been a rarity at Schalke in the past few months.

Schneider already has a new trainer in mind

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The fact is: How things will go in the bottom of the Bundesliga table in January is still open.

The goal is to sign a new head coach and, if possible, to announce him before Christmas.

On Friday, when Stevens stepped in for Manuel Baum, who had just been released, sports director Jochen Schneider had stated that the “decision-making” was “not yet completed.” On Saturday, when Schalke lost 1-0 to Arminia Bielefeld despite Stevens, revealed Schneider then said that he already had a new coach in mind.

Alexander Zorniger once trained VfB Stuttgart

Source: Bongarts / Getty Images / Alex Grimm

There are likely to be two candidates, one of which is very likely to inherit Stevens.

Firstly, Alexander Zorniger, who most recently worked for the Danish first division club Brondby IF.

It was recently reported that the 53-year-old had a good chance of getting the job.

Zorniger, whom Schneider knows from his early days as a youth coach at VfB Stuttgart, is an advocate of an offensive game that is radically geared towards pressing and counter-pressing.

He had success with RB Leipzig, which he led into the second division - but not more in Stuttgart when he had to leave prematurely in November 2015 after only ten points from 13 Bundesliga games.

According to information from WELT, the promising alternative would be Christian Gross (66).

The experienced Swiss rescued VfB from relegation in the 2009/10 season - at the same time that Schneider was working there as sports director.

Gross, who won four Swiss championships with FC Basel, most recently worked in Egypt (Zamalek SC Kairo) and Saudi Arabia, where he coached Al-Ahli SFC, the club from the port city of Jeddah, three times.

Christian Gross is traded on Schalke

Credit: pa / KEYSTONE / PETER SCHNEIDER

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Zorniger and Gross would both be available.

However, Schneider would have to have the coaching obligation approved by the supervisory board, where there had recently been increased criticism of the sports director.

Huub Stevens would have to stay away from this vote, since his board member is suspended as long as he works for Schalke in another role.

When asked whether he could possibly continue to work as a coach at Schalke, he said cryptically: "If you're like me, they'll never get out."