Fuck Yeah Schalke is a blog dedicated to FC Schalke 04.Here you will find the latest info about; the players, the team and the club
BILD: Jogi Löw hat Sie aus dem EM-Kader gestrichen. Wie groß ist Ihre Enttäuschung?
Schalkes Super-Talent Julian Draxler (18): „Im ersten Moment war ich schon wirklich enttäuscht. Beim Kofferpacken habe ich aber mit meinen Eltern und Freunden telefoniert. Die haben mir gesagt, dass es Schwachsinn ist, traurig zu sein!“
BILD: Konnte auch Ihre Freundin Lena trösten?
Draxler: „Definitiv! Wir kennen uns seit der 5. Klasse, sind seit zweieinhalb Jahren zusammen. Da kam beim Wiedersehen große Freude auf!“
BILD: Sie hatten sich insgeheim eine Chance ausgerechnet?
Draxler: „Zunächst dachte ich natürlich, ich schnupper drei Wochen rein und fahre wieder weg. Aber dann habe ich im Training gut mitgehalten, und Joachim Löw hat mir meine Leistungen bestätigt. Da habe ich angefangen zu träumen…“
BILD: Schule statt EM – wie sieht jetzt Ihr Sommerplan aus?
Draxler: „Drei Prüfungen muss ich noch bestehen: Mathe, Geschichte und Biologie. Die will ich möglichst schnell machen, um vor dem Trainingsstart auf Schalke noch in den Urlaub fahren zu können. Mein Motto: Hauptsache durchkommen!“
BILD: Wie schwer fällt es, wieder fürs Fach-Abi zu büffeln?
Draxler: „Richtig schwer. Wenn morgens um sieben Uhr der Wecker klingelt, muss ich meinen inneren Schweinehund überwinden.“
BILD: Was müssen Sie am meisten pauken?
Draxler: „Zuerst geht es an die Vektorenrechnung…“
BILD: Und dann in den Urlaub mit Ihrer Lena. Wohin wollen Sie?
Draxler: „Vielleicht nach Miami. Aber unsere EM-Spiele werde ich garantiert auch dort sehen. Die Mannschaft hat die Qualität für den Titel.“
BILD: Wer hat Sie bei der Nationalelf am meisten begeistert?
Draxler: „Vom Sportlichen her war ich total beeindruckt von Miro Klose und Poldi. Und: Mesut Özil wird eine Riesen-EM spielen!“
BILD: Und menschlich?
Draxler: „Per Mertesacker hat mir viel geholfen, auch Tim Wiese. Den habe ich vorher ein bisschen anders eingeschätzt, aber er ist ein total netter Typ.“
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TRANSLATION
BILD: Jogi Löw did not nominate you for the EM squad. How big was your disappointment?
Schalkes Super-Talent Julian Draxler (18):
In the beginning I was really disappointed. But when I packed my suitcases, I spoke to my parents and friends on the phone and they told me, it’s bullshit to be sad!
BILD: Was your girlfriend Lena able to comfort you too?
Draxler: Definitely! We know each other since form 5 and are together for two and a half years now. The reunion with her was great!
BILD: Did you secretely hoped for a chance?
Draxler: Well in the beginning I thought, I just try out everything and go back. But then I was able to keep up with the others at training and Joachim Löw has confirmed my achievements. Then I started to dream….
BILD: School instead of the Euro’s - what does your summer schedule look like now?
Draxler: I still have three exams to pass: Maths, History and Biology. I want to get through it as soon as possible, to be able to go on holiday before training with Schalke starts again. My motto: the main thing is to pass somehow!
BILD: How hard ist it to study for your diploma again?
Draxler: Really hard! When the alarm clock starts at 7 in the morning, I have to force myself to get up.
BILD: What do you have to study most for?
Draxler: Well first comes vector calculating…
BILD: And then holiday with your Lena. Where do you want to go?
Draxler: Miami perhaps. But our games at the Euro’s I will also watch for sure. The team has the quality to win it.
BILD: Who impressed you most at the national team?
Draxler: From the football wise point of view, Miro Klose and Poldi have impressed me most. And: Mesut Özil will have a gigantic Euro!
BILD: And as a person?
Draxler: Per Mertesacker has helped me a lot and also Tim Wiese. I judged him a bit differently before but he’s a really nice chap!
Raul: Schalke will always be a part of my life
19.04.2012
After almost two eventful years in a Schalke shirt Raul has decided not to extend his contract with the Royal Blues. At a press conference on Thursday the player issued a detailed statement on the reasons for his decision in which he looked back at his time with the club, talked about his favourite moments and revealed his plans for the future.
Raul on…
… his decision: After long and careful consideration I have decided not to play for FC Schalke 04 next season. It took me a very long time to reach this decision and it was a very difficult one for me to take. I would like to thank the club, the supervisory board chairman and the director of sport for being so patient while I made up my mind.
… his future: I can assure you that I will not be continuing my career in a European league, which also includes the Bundesliga, of course. This was a very difficult decision that had to be taken. I will now sit down with my agent and take some time to consider the offers. What is certain, however, is that this league won’t be as strong as the ones in Europe.
… his reasons for leaving Schalke: There were several factors involved, but the most important aspect is definitely my family. In the past I haven’t been able to spend that much time with them in our everyday life and I want to make up for that now. Playing at the top level in a European league really restricted the time I had for my family. I have a long career behind me and so I’ve decided to change that.
… his time at Schalke: I’ve been with Schalke for nearly two years and have really enjoyed my time here. It’s been a wonderful stage in my life with lots of highlights. I’ve always felt really comfortable here and I’ve been given lots of love and affection. Once again I’d like to thank the coaches, my team-mates and all the staff at the club for making sure I have always been happy here during the last two years. Obviously I’d also like to give special thanks to the fans, who have given me such incredible support all the time. What is certain is that Schalke is a part of my life and always will be.
… his relationship with the Schalke fans: Schalke fans really are something special. They’ve shown me an incredible amount of love and affection over the last two years. It’s hard for me to find the right words to describe it. To come anywhere near to paying back the fans for what they have given me, I should have scored lots more goals and won more titles.
… his best moments at Schalke: I’ve had a great time and there have been several but winning the DFB Cup in my first year was definitely very special. I played for Real Madrid for so many years and won so many titles but strangely enough I never won the cup there so that was a special moment in my career. Another highlight came in the minutes after the win over Inter Milan in the Champions League quarter-final. It was a very emotional moment for me when I was on the fence with the fans and the megaphone.
After his hamstring inury, Benedikt Höwedes has re-entered team training. On schalke04.de, the defender talks about his injury, the next Bundesliga match against Hannover and Schalke’s chances, in the quarter-final second leg match of the Europa League.
Q. Benedikt Höwedes what do you make of the injury?
A. So far whilst I have been training today I have had no problems, I am very happy.
For the game in Bilbao, it is unfortunately too soon but I hope that for Hannover, I am back on the pitch.
Q. An attack on Hanover would also be very important to fail because with Joel Matip and Jermaine Jones, two defensive players because of a yellow card suspension …
A. Conditionally, I’m back on a very basic level. I hope it’s enough for Sunday, it all depends on how the muscle responds. I must now quickly get a feel for the ball.
Q. Against the Lower Saxony, there will be a reunion with Christian Pander. How do you think is the former Schalke player will be received by the fans, in the Veltins-Arena?
A. I think it is celebrated, and the absolutely right. Christian is a totally likeable and nice guy. I think I know a few players who have such a good left foot as he did. I personally look forward to it and think it’s the fans will feel the same.
Q. What do you expect from the game against Hannover?
A. It will be a very tight game. Hannover has a very high level of quality in their offensive, we are warned in any case. But first for the boys is at the game against Bilbao. Then we can focus on Hannover.
Q. Against Bilbao, you can not participate yet. What do you think the team in Spain yet?
A. It will be really difficult because we have had a bad result in the 1st leg. But I am an optimist and I have not written it off. We have often shown that we can score goals when we are behind. It’s not impossible for us to come back from this.
If we get an early goal, we can bring the excitement and perhaps create the seemingly impossible.
(Source - Google translated)
After the match in Hoffenheim general manager Horst Heldt gave his assessment of the game and the Europa League second leg in Bilbao. He also spoke about the futures of Raul and Mathias Schober.
Q. Horst Heldt, you were due to have another meeting with Raul’s agent Gines Carvajal to discuss the player’s future in March. Did the meeting take place?
A. Yes, it did. There’s nothing new to report, however, in that no decision has been taken. Raul has simply asked for more time to think things over and we’ll obviously give him that. For him it’s not about the length of contract or money, it’s a basic decision about his future. He wants to mull it over with his family.
Q. What’s the timetable for the remaining talks?
A. A decision may be made before the end of the season but it could easily be the case that it’s taken later. Raul will, of course, be given all the time he needs because I know from my own experience that decisions like these aren’t easy. You can vacillate back and forth. There are positive and negative moments.
Q. How do you see the draw at Hoffenheim?
A. Overall we didn’t deserve to win because we only performed for 45 minutes. It’s a pity because the result from Hannover gave us a really good chance to open up a gap in the race for third place. In the first half we lacked the resoluteness you need in this type of game. We also gave the ball away too often and passed up two Hoffenheim invitations to score. That was partly down to a lack of freshness after the defeat against Bilbao. The players probably felt the disappointment more mentally than physically.
Q. Were you surprised that Lars Unnerstall was preferred to Mathias Schober in goal?
A. No, I wasn’t, because it was understandable. Lars was our number one until his injury and now he’s available again. In the situation that led to the penalty he could perhaps have gone in slightly differently but it still wasn’t a foul. He gave a good performance.
Q. What does it mean for Mathias Schober?
A. Schobi is an important part of the squad and a leader. But it’s clear now that his contract won’t be extended and we’ve already told him that. We’re now in talks about his future with regard to Schalke and a joint decision will be reached soon.
Q. Next up is the trip to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday. Huub Stevens doesn’t believe in miracles but would do if Schalke went through. And you?
A. It’s certainly not an easy position to be in; in fact it’s a bad one. But we have a responsibility to the fans who’ll be supporting us in Bilbao, to ourselves and also to German football and we’re determined to meet our responsibility. As for everything else, we’ll see how it goes.
(Source)
FC Schalke 04 fans have very little to complain about right now.
Their team are through to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals and look well placed to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League, sitting third in the Bundesliga.
Ask supporters in Gelsenkirchen for the reasons behind Schalke’s success and many will likely point to the goalscoring exploits of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Others will cite the influence of crowd favourite Raúl González or perhaps the work of coach Huub Stevens. Yet those in the know often refer to a different name: Jermaine Jones.
The defensive midfielder is arguably in the form of his life, an irreplaceable figure in a side pushing to end the campaign on a high. It marks an unlikely reversal of fortunes for the 30-year-old, given there was a time, not so long ago, when he was dropped from the Royal Blues’ first-team squad.
It was in November 2010 that Jones, the son of a German mother and an American father, found himself training with the reserves after falling out with Felix Magath, then Schalke’s coach. Jones had a reputation as something of a hot head, and his poor performances and attitude were cited as reasons for this exclusion.
“Empty your locker, we have been assigned to the reserves,” he recalls his colleague Hans Sarpei telling him.
“I felt empty inside.” The former Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer 04 Leverkusen player, who joined Schalke in 2007, spent the rest of last term on loan at Blackburn Rovers FC, making 15 Premier League appearances. He was determined he would not return to Schalke, but return he did and he soon found himself back on the bench, this time under Magath’s successor Ralf Rangnick.
His fortunes changed, however, with the September appointment of former head coach Stevens, who immediately picked out Jones as a potential leader of this young side. Schalke’s sporting director Horst Heldt helped persuade him he could fulfil this role.
“He convinced me to stay at Schalke and I’m very happy I followed his advice,” Jones said. “I know what it’s like to experience success here and I’m eager to win trophies with Schalke. I also talked with some of our fans and they assured me they still have faith in me.”
Jones’ own maturing has helped and it seems his installation as captain of Jürgen Klinsmann’s United States national side has given him a new understanding of his responsibilities.
Jones complimented his team-mates following the 4-1 second-leg victory over FC Twente in the UEFA Europa League round of 16, in which he scored his first goal of the competition. “That was perhaps the best Schalke performance all season,” he said.
They may well need to match it against their next opponents, Athletic Bilbao, to go further, and if they do, we can expect Jones to have played his part
(Source)
