Erwin Koen continues to follow the events surrounding Rot-Weiss Essen from the Netherlands with great interest. But FC Schalke 04 was also a topic of conversation at the Koen house over the weekend.

He is still welcome at Rot-Weiss Essen: Erwin Koen played for RWE for five years in the early 2000s and is still fondly remembered by the fans. Above all, the passionate way in which the Dutchman played, including his left foot, impressed the crowd in the former Georg-Melches Stadium.

“Oh, I always have fond memories of it and I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. I was an RWE player and have been a Red-White supporter ever since. Now the Koens are RWE fans. We were last there against Aachen,” he says.

In the meantime, eight more match days have been played in the 2024/2025 season since the 2-1 defeat to Alemannia. RWE have eleven points after their 2-1 win over FC Viktoria Cologne.

“On Saturday I took a deep breath. That was really, really important. Especially in view of the upcoming Annual General Meeting,” says Koen.

He is a little surprised. Koen: “All the posters against Cologne, the voices before the game, it’s been going on for weeks. It’s a real shame what’s happening at RWE right now. Essen has been in the third division for three years now and things aren’t going badly from an athletic point of view. But behind the scenes, things are boiling. If I notice all the drama in the Netherlands, then the players in Essen notice it too. It’s always a topic in the locker room. I know that from my own experience. Unconsciously, you also carry such topics onto the pitch. Unrest around the club has never done any team any good. I hope that Rot-Weiss gets a grip on this at the latest after the annual general meeting.”

Schalke made a good catch with him. Van Wonderen has worked with smaller teams in the Netherlands and his handwriting was always recognizable. He plays an offensive football without neglecting the defense. On the sidelines, he is a calm representative, not a coach who yells around. If Schalke lets him work with them longer, they will also be successful

Koen about van Wonderen

And where will RWE be in 2024/2025: “Everything must be done for the success of Rot-Weiss Essen. No vanities! I hope that RWE will stay in the league again and will attack next year – then also with a calm environment and a good management.”

Koen’s compatriot Kees van Wonderen took over at Essen neighbors FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday. Koen knows the 55-year-old and thinks very highly of the new S04 coach.

The RWE idol says of the Schalke coach: “Schalke have made a good catch here. Van Wonderen has worked with smaller teams in Holland and his handwriting was always recognizable. He plays an offensive football without neglecting the defense. He always lets his teams play their game – even when they were playing against Ajax or PSV. He’s not interested in that. On the sidelines, he is a calm representative, not a coach who yells around. If Schalke lets him work with them for a longer period of time, they will also be successful.”