FC Schalke 04 are in the relegation places in the 2nd Bundesliga. After the 1:3 defeat at SC Paderborn, Peter Knäbel, Schalke’s sporting director, comes clean.

Schalke’s sports director Peter Knäbel criticised the Gelsenkirchen team in very clear terms after the 1:3 defeat at SC Paderborn.

“We can tell ourselves all the time how good this team is and how much quality it has and where they have all played and what they would like to do. But in the end, what matters is: What do they do with the jersey from the club that pays them. And that is clearly not enough today,” said Knäbel, who really talked himself into a rage in the catacombs of the Paderborn stadium on Friday evening. He called the Revierclub’s performance “despondent” and “naive”, and apologised to the fans.

“When I go into a game like this as a professional, I know what’s important. When I concede a goal in the 43rd minute, I know that I can be outplayed against a well-organised opponent. Then I can’t be as stupid as they were in the second half,” said Knäbel. He told the team the same thing.

After the 0:1 by Felix Platte shortly before the break, Schalke conceded two more goals by Florent Muslija. “At the end of the day, it’s a results sport, it’s a competitive sport. And it’s the result and the performance on the pitch that counts. And that was insufficient today,” said Knäbel.

With only seven points from eight games, first division relegated Schalke are in the relegation relegation place in the 2nd Bundesliga. This weekend, the Revierclub can slip even further. “You can call the situation shit, you can say it is unsatisfactory and it is highly dangerous. That’s what I think,” said Knäbel.