Sunday 16 December 2012 11:50, UK
Jens Keller will coach Schalke at least until the end of the season after replacing the sacked Huub Stevens on Saturday.
With 20 points from the first nine games of the season, Schalke were leading the challenge to Bayern for the title this season. However, a slump which saw them pick up just five points in the last eight games has seen them fall out of the hunt for the title and out of the top six, which has cost Stevens his job for the second time in Gelsenkirchen.Stevens learned of his fate this morning after a board meeting last night in the wake of the club's latest defeat. The Dutchman, who was recently voted as the club's coach of the century in a fans' poll, has paid the price for a recent slump in form, despite still having the backing of his players. "He still has the fire burning in him and he is accepted well by the team," said midfielder Jermaine Jones to Sky television prior to yesterday's defeat. "I think we should quickly move away from blaming the coach. I think it is purely a team thing." The Gelsenkirchen-based club have analysed the situation differently, though, ending Stevens' second spell at the club today. "I can understand the question coming, but right now after this defeat at home, I have got to gather my thoughts and think of how we can approach Tuesday's game so that we can go through," said the club's director of sport Horst Heldt yesterday. "All other questions will be answered when the time comes." A statement on the club's website says that the decisions "was anything but easy for those involved." Keller, who has previous Bundesliga coaching experience in a two-month spell in charge of Stuttgart in 2010/11, will take over until further notice with Stevens' assistant Markus Gisdol also relieved of his duties. The Dutchman's contract was due to expire in the summer and negotiations over a new deal were due to be held over the winter break.