Onur Cinel’s time as head coach of FC Schalke 04’s U17s is over. After the Westfalen Cup victory, Cinel looks back and ahead.
Onur Cinel’s last game as coach of FC Schalke 04’s U17s has been played with the Westphalia Cup victory over Preußen Münster. The Schalke 04 chapter is closed for the time being. A period that was crowned last year by winning the German U17 championship and rounded off this year by even more extraordinary successes.
The architect of the successful team, Onur Cinel, looks back on his time as coach of the Schalke U17s with great pride: “We have now won two titles, the West German championship and the cup. From the U17s to the 1st Bundesliga, we are the team with the highest points ratio of 2.73 points per game and the lowest goal conceded ratio in Germany. It feels like we have won everything that can be won. It is by far the most successful period of a Schalker U17. To be part of that is really cool. “
When talking to the 37-year-old, you quickly realise Cinel doesn’t want to pin the success on himself alone, but sees the special time much more as a team success: “From that point of view, I have to give the teams of the last two years a huge compliment for their willingness and mentality. My coaching team also deserves a lot of respect for the five titles in the last two years, we were a real coaching team. “
My coaching team deserves a lot of respect for the five titles in the last two years, we were a real coaching team.
Onur Cinel
After more than ten years as a coach at the Knappenschmiede, that time has now come to an end in the best possible way. The rumours about his future are already going on. The plans for the next few weeks are clear, as Cinel reveals: “I can tell you exactly what will happen next. Friday is training at 6 p.m., and we’ll have a tournament where the coaches will play. And afterwards we’ll have a barbecue and say goodbye. Then I’ll continue with Austria in the European Championship qualifiers against Belgium and Sweden, and then we’ll have to see.”
So the co-coach of the Austrian national team is not letting anyone look into his future. But one thing is certain: Schalke is over, for now: “I’m a Gelsenkirchen boy, I’m a Schalke fan and I think I’ve been very successful with my work here over the last few years. And it’s possible that I’ll come back again. After all, there’s still a German championship to be won. “