FC Schalke 04

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Rutten Aiming For Positive Start

New Schalke trainer Fred Rutten insists that his side need to get off to a good start when the Bundesliga resumes by grabbing points right from the off.

Rutten took control of his first training session with the Königsblauen this week and despite the fact that it will take him a little while to get to know his squad, the Dutchman is determined to make a positive start.

“You’ve got to pick up points from the very start” he stressed. “How you do that is a secondary issue. It’s only by winning that players get the self-confidence they need.”

Rutten will assess the players at his disposal before deciding which formation he will line-up with next season.

“Playing systems in football can be discussed endlessly” he said. “Even in a 4-3-3 formation, the way the forwards work can vary greatly” he explained.

“I’m aiming for an ideal mix of good football and positive results. It is not easy to fuse these two things together. It takes time and requires a lot of work.

“Working with the team and the individual players is something I really enjoy. And I’ve got the feeling, it’s the same for the lads too.”

Despite the short tie he will have to work with the players before the season kicks-off in early August, Rutten knows that time is not a luxury is can enjoy.

“Time is something you never get as a coach. Performances have to be there straightaway. By the time of the first game, our team has got to be top fit. That’s our objective.”

Goal.com - Schalke - Rutten Aiming For Positive Start

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Schalke Players On Training :











Fred Rutten :

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Schalke: No Rush To Sign Neuer Replacement

Schalke trainer Fred Rutten has revealed that he is in no hurry to sign a replacement goalkeeper for the injured Manuel Neuer.

Neuer will be ruled out until at least September after breaking a bone in his foot during a recent Schalke friendly, but the Königsblauen coach has admitted he is not looking to bring another keeper to the club as cover.

Rutten believes that the reserve keepers already at the club- Mathias Schober and Ralf Fahrmann- will be able to cover the loss of Neuer.

"With Schober and Fahrmann we have two excellent goalkeepers who can take Manuel's place until he is fit again" Rutten said.

"Both have the necessary quality and can prove themselves now in training."

Schober has already played 219 Bundesliga matches for Schalke, Hamburg and Hansa Rostock whereas Fahrmann is currently a member of Germany's U-20 side.

Schober's should be the one to step into Neuer’s place due to his experience but the 32 year old knows it is not a foregone conclusion.

"I have been in the business long enough to know that you have to prove yourself every single day in training" he said.

"I am sorry for Manuel, but I was brought here for this scenario."

Goal.com - Schalke - Schalke: No Rush To Sign Neuer Replacement

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Victoria Select- FC Schalke 04 0-11 (0-5)

Schalke: Amsif - Rafinha (65. Streit), Höwedes, Krstajic (50. Zambrano), Pander (60. Lorenz) - Ernst (71. Kenia), Jones (65. Kobiashvili) - Heppke, Sanchez (71. Barton) - Larsen (46. Grossmüller), Altintop (71. Asamoah)

Goals: 1-0 Larsen (9.), 2-0 Altintop (28.), 3-0 Heppke (38.), 4-0 Larsen (41.), 5-0 Jones (46.), 6-0 Ernst (48.), 7-0 Heppke (52.), 8-0 Jones (55.), 9-0 Asamoah (82.), 10-0 Kenia (85.), 11-0 Asamoah (88.)

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

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Schalke just won a friendly match against Glasgow Rangers, 1-0. The match was played at the Veltins Arena, and I managed to watch the first half.

From what I saw, Schalke were dominating, but not very convincely. Anyway, the goal came from a corner. New signing Jefferson Farfan crossed from the corner, and defender Mladen Krstajic was there in the zone to head the ball to the net, with little help from the post.

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DOUBLE BLOW FOR SCHALKE

Schalke have suffered a double injury blow with the news Albert Streit and Gustavo Varela could miss the start of the season.

Midfield duo Streit and Varela both picked up knocks during the club's 4-1 friendly win over the Bahrain national team on Tuesday.

Streit, who came off after 30 minutes, faces at least a fortnight on the sidelines after tearing his thigh muscle, while Varela's recovery time is not yet known after he limped out of the game at half-time with a groin problem.

Both will commence rehabilitation with physiotherapy at Schalke's training camp in Austria, but are doubts for the start of the Bundesliga season.

The injuries are a further blow to the Royal Blues, who have already seen Brazilian full-back Rafinha depart without permission to the Olympics.

Schalke's kick off the new campaign with a trip to Homburg on August 8 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.

Their first league match is seven days later when they take on Hannover at the Arena AufSchalke.

SportingLife.com

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SCHALKE BEAT BAHRAIN

Schalke, without their AWOL defender Rafinha, defeated the Bahrain national team 4-1 on Tuesday night with two new signings finding the back of the net.

Dutch midfielder Orlando Engelaar scored his first goal for the Royal Blues in the opening minute of the game following a transfer from FC Twente before Jefferson Farfan added a second minutes later.

Halil Altintop tucked away a penalty before Kevin Kuranyi completed the scoring one minute from time on his first appearance of pre-season.

SportingLife.com

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Rutten possibly without two players

During Friday's morning training session, FC Schalke 04 head coach Fred Rutten was without two key offensive players.

Jefferson Farfan and Ze Roberto were unable to train, as both have come down with an intestinal virus.

The two South American players are currently receiving intensive treatment. "The medication is working well on both of them", said team doctor Dr. Bernd Brexendorf. Still, whether they can play Saturday evening against Besiktas Istanbul is questionable.

Schalke receive surprise visit

The other players on the team went through the paces of a long and grueling session. Coaches put the team through a two hour plus workout at full tempo in sweltering July heat: first, running drills, then scrimmaging with and without goals. After last weeks intensive training schedule, coach Rutten gave his players Friday afternoon off.

The team also received a visit at the end of their training session. The Iranian club Rah Ah Teheran, who also held their training camp in Austria, followed Schalke's training and then gave gifts to S04 . A photo was taken of both teams.

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

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"One left, one right"

Mathias Schober hopes to be in goal for Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 after Manuel Neuer's injury - but so does Ralf Fährmann.

Question: How do you deal with the public interest that followed Neuer's injury?

Mathias Schober: It's obvious: the less you play, the less interest there is. But I have been number one keeper in Rostock and Hamburg and know all about it.

Ralf Fährmann: It's not a problem for me. I don't even particularly notice it. I fully concentrate on training.

Question: Have you already agreed on who will keep goal?

Schober: One takes the left half of the goal, the other one the right half. Or maybe one of us will play at right-back if Rafinha doesn't come back in time. Seriously: I've got no problem with competition for places. We, the goalkeepers, spend 80% of the training sessions together and get along well. The coach decides who plays.

Fährmann: Schobi is right there, it's up to the coach. Being a young goalkeeper, of course I hope that the moment will come when the coach tells me that I'm going to play.

Question: How big a disappointment would it be if the coach decides against you?

Schober: It would surely be a big disappointment, because I joined from Rostock for exactly this sort of situation.

Question: Do you have a similar view?

Fährmann: I definitely wouldn't be happy. There is a small chance for me, and I'm trying to take it.

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

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Schalke 04 - Besiktas 1:2

Benedikt Höwedes (72) scored the consolation goal for Schalke after Zapotocny (40) and Bobo (54) had fired the Turks into a 2-0 lead.

A further blow for Schalke was losing Mladen Krstajic to injury five minutes into the second half.

Schalke: Schober - Westermann (74. Heppke), Bordon, Krstajic (50. Höwedes), Kobiashvili (70. Grossmüller) - Ernst - Jones, Engelaar (46. Pander) - Rakitic (46. Altintop), Kuranyi (58. Sanchez), Farfan (46. Asamoah)

Besiktas: Rüstü (46. Arikan) - Serdar (81. Tandogan), Zapotocny, Sivok, Inceman, Karabulut, Delgado (39. Özkan), Tello (67. Seric), Cisse, Holosko (67. Dag), Bobo

First serious test.. first defeat.

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Krastic Injured In Besiktas Match (Muskelfaserriss)
He Will Out For A Few Months ....

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Eijkelkamp joins Schalke's coaching staff

Former crowd favourite Rene Eijkelkamp is back at FC Schalke 04.

The former striker, who played 44 Bundesliga matches for the "Royal Blues" between 1997 and 1999, will work as assistant coach.

Reunited with Rutten

The 44-year-old had already worked together with Fred Rutten at PSV Eindhoven (2004-2006) and FC Twente (2006-2007), coaching particularly the strikers.

"He will work with all players for us and with youth players as well. Everyone can profit from his experience from 471 top-flight matches in Holland, Belgium and Germany, his touch, his runs and his tricks", Schalke sporting director Andreas Müller commented.

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

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"The 'Royal Blues' are in my heart"

Rene Eijkelkamp is back at FC Schalke 04. Here's what the new assistant coach had to say about his first impressions and his new job.



Question: Rene Eijkelkamp, what's your first impression?

Rene Eijkelkamp: Great. It's nice to be back here. I've been a few times at Schalke in the last years, because my brother and I work as players' agents. So I always had the opportunity to have a coffee with old acquaintances such as Andreas Müller. So I've always been in touch with Schalke.

Question: Who long did you commit to Schalke?

Eijkelkamp: That's not sealed yet. Anyone who knows me knows that the "Royal Blues" are in my heart, however. I could imagine working here until I retire.

Question: You work alongside Fred Rutten and fellow assistant coaches Mike Büskens and Youri Mulder. What exactly will be your task?

Eijkelkamp: I will be on the training day one day each week and work with the group in the morning. In the afternoon I'll work with individual players, including talented youth players as often as possible.

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

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FC Schalke 04 08/09 Squad

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The UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw has been made.

FC Schalke 04 will have to overcome Atlético Madrid if they are to reach the group stage of CL.

Very tough.