Salke legend Benedikt Höwedes looks at what he sees as Schalke 04’s current pleasing situation and gives his reasons for leaving the DFB.
Benedikt Höwedes is an FC Schalke 04 legend, and the 35-year-old still follows the games of the Königsblauen. And so it pained him to look at the results of the first half of the season. “Especially at the beginning of the season, there wasn’t much emotion on the pitch, there wasn’t much passion and maybe there wasn’t much of a plan behind it,” Höwedes said in the latest edition of the ran Bundesliga webshow. “But in Thomas Reis, Schalke have found a coach who has created new energy and enthused the stadium. You can see what is feasible. The momentum is currently in Schalke’s favour.”
Schalke 04 are now unbeaten in eight games, with a 1-1 draw against FC Augsburg on Saturday. The hope of staying in the class is back. “They have worked hard for that,” says Höwedes. “Who would have expected before the start of the second half of the season that the Schalkers would even have a chance? That’s impressive, but in the end it only counts whether you get relegated or not. But when you see the passion and cohesion that has developed, it’s great.”
He also said individual players had forced the luck again. “We agree that the Schalkers don’t have the maximum quality compared to the competition, but I’m of the very clear opinion that you can work for match luck,” said Höwedes, looking in particular at striker Marius Bülter. “Marius Bülter in particular has been insanely good going forward and driving the team. He puts a lot of heart and soul into it – the Schalke family has missed that insanely in recent years. You long for players to be on the pitch who give the last shirt for Schalke. “
Höwedes also shed some light on the DFB. The man from Haltern has no longer been the team manager of the German national football team since the beginning of the year. Not because of the fiasco at the World Cup in Qatar. No, for the ex-Schalker, “family reasons were also decisive. My contract only ran until December. We are having a baby for the third time in May,” said the Rio World Champion. Höwedes had returned to the DFB squad in a new role in August 2021.
Schalke legend Höwedes wants more time with family
Already during his time as a professional with Lok Moscow (2018 to 2020), he had noticed “that I want to have more time with the family – especially when the children are still so small and they need me,” ex-Schalke pro Höwedes explained the separation: “Now I still have the opportunity to take the time because I am still relatively young. I really enjoy spending more time with my family. “