Schalke coach Reis talks about the striker’s plight, the medical department and the reaction after Hoffenheim ahead of the clash with Hertha BSC.
For Thomas Reis, there will be no beauty prizes in the basement duel in the Bundesliga soccer league between FC Schalke and Hertha BSC next Friday (8:30 p.m./DAZN). “It may be that it won’t be a nice game – but I couldn’t care less,” the Königsblauen coach told WAZ (Wednesday edition). The whole interview can be read here. “Hertha BSC must feel in every situation that there will be nothing for them here.”
He said it was important for the Schalke side, who took over the red lantern from the Swabians after a 2-0 loss at TSG Hoffenheim and VfB Stuttgart’s 3-2 win at VfL Bochum: “We all have to show a reaction on Friday, we have to want to win the duels with all our might.” Schalke are bottom of the table with 21 points after 27 matchdays, while the capitals have one point more in 17th place.
It must be important to all Schalke players not to be able to present themselves again like on Easter Sunday in Kraichgau. “If in Hoffenheim an Ihlas Bebou runs away from us three times because he simply has this quality, then I can accept that. But I have a problem with it if everything is not tried to prevent that. That’s what happened on Sunday, and we can’t afford that.” To avoid another disappointment against Hertha on Friday, Thomas Reis is looking closely at in training “which players are suitable for this phase at the moment. We now have to find the right people to withstand this pressure.”
Due to the relegation threat, however, the entire club is aware of planning on two tracks in the coming weeks – for a new season in the Bundesliga if they successfully stay in the league and for a season in the 2nd division should Schalke be relegated. “I am still firmly convinced that we will manage to stay in the league. Of course, we are not naive. We’re looking at which players are there for both cases, that’s where I’m involved in talks. We’d rather plan for the first league case. “