Tobias Mohr was long considered a transfer flop at FC Schalke 04. Under Karel Geraerts, the left-footer is now a regular on the left flank.
No, FC Schalke 04’s training session on Tuesday morning did not end well for Tobias Mohr. A penalty shoot-out had to decide the training match and Mohr’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Michael Langer – even defeats in training can be bitter. But Mohr, the 28-year-old left-footer, has made progress. After one and a half years at Schalke, he now recovers quickly from setbacks – which is why he is also set to play when Hamburger SV come to Gelsenkirchen on Saturday (8.30 pm/Sport 1).
Mohr had joined for €1.1 million from then second-division club 1. FC Heidenheim after their promotion to the Bundesliga and had developed into a top scorer there in the 2022-23 season (eight goals, seven assists). But there was no sign of that at Schalke. Mohr quickly became a runner-up, only making eight appearances in the starting eleven, just 18 appearances (no goals, three assists) and was often only in the stands under coach Thomas Reis in the second half of the season.
This season, he was in the starting line-up for the opening game in Hamburg (3:5), but not thereafter – he was again sidelined under Reis. In the 4:3 win over 1. FC Magdeburg, he was substituted in the 38th minute with the score at 0:2, ran to the substitutes’ bench in a daze and pulled his shirt over his head. Mohr, the permanent flop?
Mohr feels “great confidence” from Geraerts
Only the change of coach from Reis to Karel Geraerts brought him back. “I get a lot of trust from the coach, a player like me needs that. I felt that from day one. Accordingly, I was able to give something back to the coach,” said Mohr about Geraerts and added: “The self-confidence helps me to play to my strengths on the pitch. It shows that the coach is watching who is stepping on the gas in training.” A family event also gave him fresh impetus: he became a father in November – his little son is called Mats. Under Geraerts, he played four games in a row (two assists) and defended his regular position on the left side of midfield in preparation.
This went exceptionally well, says Mohr. “We got a very, very good feeling from the test matches, even if we didn’t win them all. It was fun on and off the pitch, whether with or against the ball. Something has developed at the training camp – harmony, a bit more understanding for each other,” he said. The three weeks or so of preparation have gone smoothly so far, without any additions, departures, injuries or arguments. But Mohr also knows: “You can play a good preparation or not: if we don’t bring that onto the pitch in the competition, it was all for nothing.”
But even if the start is successful – is Schalke still looking to the top? “Promotion is not the number one priority for us as a team. We want to play a good second half of the season, we want to distance ourselves from the bottom as quickly as possible. Every win helps to create a certain atmosphere in the stadium, in the club,” said Mohr, adding: “If it doesn’t work out, you shouldn’t bury your head in the sand.”
Schalke: Mohr speaks openly about Fürth mistakes
Nobody knows that better than him. In the 2:2 draw against Greuther Fürth shortly before Christmas, he made the crucial mistake before the equalizer. “The night after a mistake like that always sucks, but if I was still dwelling on it, my self-confidence would be gone. Then I could stop playing soccer,” he said. That’s him, the new Tobias Mohr. One with self-confidence.