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The whole hopelessness of the Schalke season was once again compressed to a few characters on Wednesday evening.
More precisely, on 215. Subject: the designated Savior.
"Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will not be available to FC Schalke 04 for the time being," tweeted the bottom of the Bundesliga table in the early evening.
Instead, the 37-year-old striker will complete individual training.
The reactions to the announcement of the troubled traditional club are varied.
While some speak of bad luck and others attack the club's medical department, a few supporters take refuge in cynicism: Maybe Huntelaar will be reasonably fit at least for the second division.
So far, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has only played ten minutes on the field at FC Schalke
Source: Friedemann Vogel - Pool / Getty Images / Pool
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It is now almost inevitable that Schalke will play in the second division in the coming season.
Huntelaar will then enjoy his retirement.
His mission at Schalke was limited to six months from the start - and was fraught with doubts.
Schalke's striker problem
“Klaas-Jan's commitment has two central components: In terms of sport, his qualities are undisputed.
At least as important are his personality, his great experience and his connection to Schalke 04 ”, Jochen Schneider justified the return campaign of the former world-class striker from Ajax Amsterdam in January.
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Schalke urgently needed goals and someone to shoot them in the relegation battle.
This task was originally supposed to be performed by Vedad Ibisevic, 36.
The Bosnian had already been sacked in the first half of the season because he didn't get along with coach Manuel Baum.
That was a mistake, Schneider recently admitted.
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From then on, hopes rested on Gonçalo Paciência, who had been injured for months now, on Mark Uth, who scores too rarely, and on Matthew Hoppe, who, at the age of 19, lacks the necessary consistency to fight for relegation.
A calf injury was known
Schneider therefore convinced Huntelaar, who had become the league's top scorer with 29 goals in 32 games in the 2011/2012 season, to spend what is expected to be the last six months of his career in the Ruhr area.
In the previous seven years with the Royal Blues, the Dutchman had delivered a total of 126 goals and 35 assists in 240 games.
And at Ajax, the veteran scored seven goals in eleven - mostly short - appearances this season.
But already during the negotiations it became clear that those responsible for Schalke might be making a mistake that one knows from buying a used car: When looking at the aging piece of jewelery, one likes to overlook the oil droplets because the paint still shines so beautifully.
Huntelaar didn’t drip anything, but his calf was injured.
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"We knew about these complaints and talked about them in great detail with Klaas-Jan," Schneider recently admitted to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
He doesn't want to blame the rehab coaches for the fact that the striker is still not fit.
Criticism of the use against Bremen
But the fact is: Huntelaar was only on the pitch against Werder Bremen in six possible games.
Yield from ten minutes of playing time: a yellow card.
According to consistent media reports, the striker is said to have been "not exactly happy" about the brief assignment because he "actually didn't feel fit".
Huntelaar played ten minutes against Bremen.
There was no more than a warning left from his brief assignment
Source: dpa / Carmen Jaspersen
Details that made people sit up and take notice and brought Werner Leuthard into focus.
The 59-year-old was brought in as head of performance licensed player before the season and is notorious for his tough training.
According to Sport1, players should have "returned to training too early" after injuries.
Ultimately, club and coach Christian Gross wanted to send a sign of hope with Huntelaar's short appearance against Bremen.
However, the attacker's other calf then hurt.
“Maybe through an incorrect load, that can happen in such a situation,” Gross speculated at the time.
The case now seems strange, because more muscular problems followed and ultimately a torn muscle fiber.
Huntelaar commitment "no mistake"
“The commitment wasn't a mistake.
We hope that Klaas-Jan will be able to return to the field as soon as possible and prove his scoring potential, ”said Schneider recently.
Despite the injury, Huntelaar has taken on a "very important role" within the team since day one.
Huntelaar return perfect
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar returns to FC Schalke 04.
After Sead Kolasinac, he is the second ex-squire to return during the crisis.
The 37-year-old striker receives a contract until the end of the season.
Source: Stats Perform News
"It's as if you have to choose between two children," Huntelaar had outlined his inner conflict in the days before his return to Schalke.
He ended up choosing the lost bunch instead of another title with Amsterdam.
Schalke's fans give him great credit.
Anyone who has followed Huntelaar's career knows how frustrating it will be that he cannot be on the pitch.
The message from Schalke said that the club and players wanted to do everything they could to get back on the field quickly.
The question is whether it is not already too late for that.