On Sunday afternoon (1.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky) Mike Büskens faces the next big, trend-setting, even existentially important game for FC Schalke 04;
Darmstadt 98 is about defending the lead in the second Bundesliga and keeping aspiring promotion at a distance.
So the Revierklub coach has a lot to do, and yet Büskens took a few hours on Wednesday to keep a promise.
After a game against SC Paderborn, angry at the referees' persistent refusal to call Schalke's penalty kicks, he explained: "If we're awarded a penalty this season, I'll grill for the guests of 'Warm through the night in Gelsenkirchen!"
After a penalty goal for Schalke in Dresden, Büskens prepared sausages for the homeless and needy, which the citizens' initiative takes care of.
Not only because of such actions, the 54-year-old is about to rise to the top floor of the club legends, where people like Ernst Kuzorra, Stan Libuda, Rudi Assauer or Huub Stevens lodge.
Like all the big players at Schalke, Büskens combines a down-to-earth attitude, approachability and success.
Now he should help the team to return to the Bundesliga after the collapse of the past few years.
After the dismissal of coach Dimitrios Grammozis, he was promoted from assistant coach to head coach for the third time as an interim solution, and it has been going on ever since.
The team under Büskens has won all four games, and after the club had not been promoted on any matchday of the season so far until last Saturday, Schalke are now even top of the table.
It sounds as if Büskens possesses some mysterious royal blue magic, which is why midfielder Dominick Drexler felt compelled to clarify: "He's not a witch." Büskens only "made a few important changes".
The magic of this trainer lies in its ability for simple measure.
He has adjusted the system, instead of defending with a back three, Schalke now defend with four people in the back row.
He moved the powerful Ko Itakura into midfield, and several players suddenly seemed more stable than ever at Schalke.
In terms of football there is still room for improvement, but Schalke wins.
"We have a slightly different mix on the pitch, it's that simple in football sometimes," said Drexler, and Büskens explained: "People should enjoy it, they hardly had the opportunity to be here for two years.
They had to live with moments when we were compared to Tasmania Berlin.
Now you develop pride again to be Schalke.
That's why I love this club."
Büskens, who came to Gelsenkirchen as a professional from Fortuna Düsseldorf 30 years ago, such sentences are removed.
He was part of the legendary team that won the UEFA Cup in 1997, and in 2001 and 2002 he won the DFB Cup with Schalke.
He experienced the master-of-the-heart-trauma and began a coaching career after his professional days, which meanwhile led him to Düsseldorf, Fürth and the DFB.
But the connection to Schalke always remained close.
"It was clear to us that this path was the right one, we feel Mike's power," said sporting director Rouven Schröder after handing over main responsibility for the lurching promotion project to Büskens in March.
Now the team is playing a football that suits the royal blue legend that Büskens has solidified over the past 30 years: Schalke works and fights with dedication and is rewarded with the necessary luck at crucial moments.
It is firmly agreed that Büskens will give up his place in the summer for a new head coach, he has no interest in doing this troubled job permanently.
A few years ago he made the decision "that he no longer wanted to work in the first row as a coach".
That's why the position of permanent assistant coach was created for Büskens at Schalke, who stays while the bosses come and go with their personal assistants.
And who, if necessary, takes on the main responsibility.