FC Schalke 04 has announced the appointment of a new coach, who happens to be Muslim.
FC Schalke 04 Appoints Miron Muslic as New Coach
Gelsenkirchen - Miron Muslic is the newly appointed head coach of FC Schalke 04. The 42-year-old Austrian-Bosnian footbal manager will oversee the second-division club until June 30, 2027, as per the announcement from Schalke. Muslic comes to the Ruhr club from relegated English second-division side Plymouth Argyle.
Speaking about his new role, Muslic expressed his gratitude towards the Schalke decision-makers. "I am grateful for the trust placed in me by Schalke," he said in the club's announcement. He discussed the ambitious vision for the club with the decision-makers and is confident about contributing to the club's objectives.
A Successful Career in Europe
While less known in Germany, Muslic boasts impressive accomplishments in Belgium. He led Cercle Bruges to the UEFA Conference League last summer, securing the club's first European competition appearance in 14 years. Muslic was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina but migrated to Austria with his family as a child. He also made his coaching debut and completed his initial stations in the country.
A New Approach for Schalke
While Muslic cites Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp as a role model for his active and intense football philosophy, his primary focus for Schalke is not to make the club play spectacular football immediately, but to focus on stabilizing the club and returning to the Bundesliga in the medium term.
Sports director Frank Baumann spoke highly of Muslic, praising his professional competence and ability to inspire players. Muslic brings strong leadership qualities and resilience, traits that will be essential at Schalke.
The season for Schalke was disastrous, with the club struggling to obtain desirable results under three different coaches - Karel Geraerts, Kees van Wonderen, and interim boss Jakob Fimpel. The club finished the 2023-24 season in 14th place in the Bundesliga.
High Turnover of Coaches at Schalke
The instability in the coaching position at Schalke is not a new issue. After the 2018 vice-championship, the club severed ties with coach Domenico Tedesco in spring 2019. Since then, 12 different coaches have held the position, with three of them – Huub Stevens, Matthias Kreutzer, and Fimpel – taking over on an interim basis twice. The last coach to remain in the role for at least two years was Mirko Slomka, who coached Schalke from January 2006 to April 2008.
With the arrival of Muslic, Schalke finally aims to achieve the desired continuity. His former club, Plymouth Argyle, expressed frustration before the official transfer was announced, having allowed Muslic to discuss terms with Schalke. However, Muslic acknowledged the support he received from the English club, stating, "I'd like to express my gratitude towards Plymouth Argyle, who allowed me to discuss my future with FC Schalke 04."
What about Muslic's philosophy for education-and-self-development and career-development in sports? With his successful track record in Belgium, he could potentially implement new strategies for football at FC Schalke 04, similar to how he led Cercle Bruges to their UEFA Conference League appearance.
In addition, Muslic might find solace in sports-betting during his downtime, as he navigates the high-pressure environment of American football, given his previous coaching experience in European football and his new role in the Bundesliga.
If the new coaching tenure goes as planned, Schalke might finally break its vicious cycle of high turnover in coaches, leading to a better focus on sports, such as football, rather than the constant need for career-development in the coaching position.
