Bundesliga 2 - Wilmots returns to FC Schalke 04 as sports director
Former crowd favorite Marc Wilmots is returning to traditional soccer club FC Schalke 04 as sporting director. The 54-year-old signed a long-term contract, as the second division club announced on Thursday. The newly created position of technical director will be held by André Hechelmann.
Wilmots will fill the gap left by Peter Knäbel. The former sporting director and the club agreed on January 1 to immediately terminate his contract, which runs until June 30, 2024. The position of sporting director is no longer to be filled.
The Schalke fans associate Wilmots with memories of an extremely successful time. The Belgian was regarded as the leader of the so-called Eurofighters, especially during the UEFA Cup victory in 1997. Wilmots played for the club for a total of six years, during which time he also won the DFB Cup. Following the end of his career, Wilmots also briefly acted as interim coach at the Royal Blues in 2003.
"Schalke 04 is a very special club for me, with whom I celebrated great success as a player. Now I want to be at the forefront of the movement that will help Schalke regain its strength and shape a successful future," said Wilmots, adding: "We will only achieve this if every individual works with focus and professionalism every day. Then we can inspire our fans with intense, attractive and ultimately successful soccer."
Wilmots has his work cut out for him. Schalke plummeted to 14th place in the 2nd division after relegation in the summer, and the club is also burdened by financial problems. "In Marc Wilmots, we have been able to recruit a man for Schalke who knows the soccer business very well from many perspectives and who knows how a successful dressing room works," said the new CEO Matthias Tillmann confidently.
Wilmots coached the Belgian national team from 2012 to 2016, followed by spells with the Ivory Coast and Iran. Most recently, he worked as a coach in Morocco at Raja Club Athletic.
Schalke squad club announcement
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- Andre Hechelmann, in his new role as technical director, will work closely with Marc Wilmots to strengthen FC Schalke 04, a club located in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, known for its rich soccer history in the Bundesliga and sometimes the 2. Bundesliga.
- Interestingly, Marc Wilmots, the newly appointed sports director of FC Schalke 04, has former connections with the club, having played for them during the 1990s, a period when Schalke had a successful run in the UEFA Cup.
- Wilmots is not only popular among the Schalke fans but also in the broader soccer community, having been a key figure in the "Eurofighters" team that led the club to success during his tenure.
- Schalke 04's financial struggles aside, Wilmots is optimistic about the club's future, having pledged to restore the team's strength and bring back the days of successful soccer for the fans in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Apart from his role in Schalke, Marc Wilmots also managed the Belgian national team from 2012 to 2016, providing him with valuable experience from the international soccer stage.
- On a side note, the Eurofighter is not only a term associated with soccer but also a multirole fighter aircraft produced by a European consortium, including Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
