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It is almost a curiosity that Rouven Schröder and FC Schalke 04 have finally found each other.
The message that the Royal Blues came up with on Tuesday was astonishing: Schröder, 45, is employed as a sports director - just under a month and a half after he had declared that he was not available as a sports director.
Now Schröder, who was active as the sports director of FSV Mainz 05 for three years until the end of December, is coming.
From June 1st he will officially be responsible for the licensed players area, and will be responsible for squad planning and scouting.
The core tasks therefore fall into his area.
However, he will be located below the board at director level - i.e. under Peter Knäbel, the sports director.
"The supervisory board and management board agree that the multitude of tasks in the sporting field cannot be shouldered by one person alone, but that we need additional expertise," said Knäbel, who had strongly advocated Schröder's commitment.
Personnel restructuring in Schalke's administration completed
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With the new addition, the personnel restructuring of the administration of the sporting area of the Bundesliga relegated is largely completed.
As was also announced on Tuesday, Mathias Schober will be promoted to director of “Knappenschmiede and Development” and thus take over the function that Knäbel held until he was appointed sports director.
"Mathias Schober has done an excellent job in the past few years as the sporting director of our youth department and has made a large contribution to attracting talented talent," explained Knäbel, who in future as a board member wants to focus on the strategic direction of the club.
Schröder worked in Mainz for over four years, first as sports director and then as sports director
Source: pa / Promediafoto / Michael Deines / PROMEDIAFOTO
Schober, as the person responsible for the junior division, and above all Schröder, who is equipped with extensive competencies for the professional sector, should keep Knäbel's back free.
It is important to work through considerable problems that arise from the decline as well as from the economic situation of the traditional club, which is in debt with a good 217 million euros.
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With a view to the coming second division season, midfielder Danny Latza (31) and striker Simon Terrodde (33), who were signed on for free, only signed two new players.
Simon Terodde should shoot Schalke back into the Bundesliga
Source: dpa-infocom GmbH
Various personnel issues are still unresolved - above all, how things should go on with the professionals who are still on loan until the end of the season.
There is still a lot to be done - although it is important to stay within the framework of relatively strict budget guidelines.
The budget for the team that Schröder is supposed to put together should be between 20 and 25 million euros.
Opposition group wanted Ralf Rangnick
“With Rouven Schröder we were able to gain an expert who has the necessary network and the professional qualities in this area,” explained Knäbel, who had already done certain preliminary work in the past few months.
Before Knäbel was officially appointed to the board on April 15th, he and Schober, U19 coach Norbert Elgert and ex-professional Mike Büskens belonged to the so-called "Task Force Management Planning" - which will now be part of Schröder's area of responsibility.
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Schröder, in turn, was one of the candidates that the board of directors considered to fill the post of sports director.
After Jochen Schneider was released on February 28th, he was a favorite alongside Markus Krösche.
After an internal opposition group had publicly advocated a commitment from Ralf Rangnick, Krösche first declared that he was not available, then Schröder also. But the negotiations with Rangnick fell apart, and so Knäbel won the bid. The fact that Schröder has now agreed to work under Knäbel shows that he is committed to the club.