The mixed results on the one hand and some dissatisfied players on the other hand: Frank Kramer has to make sure at Schalke 04 that the dissatisfaction and sometimes petty-looking cabin discussions do not increase unnecessarily.
Completely logical: If only one of seven games is won, the mood is not exactly at its peak. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a promoted player, for whom staying up in the league will be very difficult, or not. If more is lost than gained, dissatisfaction and resentment prevail.
It’s no different at Schalke either. As small as the goals are kept and as small as the means with which the club started this Premier League season are – the atmosphere within the team is an important asset.
However, Frank Kramer seems to have to moderate one or the other cabin topic at the moment. In addition to his work on the pitch, he is already in demand as a cool head.
According to Sportbild, an aspect that threatens unrest: Several (supposed) top performers and leading players have hardly played recently. Alex Kral was dropped from the starting XI, as was Rodrigo Zalazar. Under the coach, Thomas Ouwejan was not able to work like last year. Sebastian Polter should not be satisfied with his assignments, which consist exclusively of substitutions.
And Danny Latza has played almost no role so far. While he was confirmed as captain in preparation and praised for his good performance, he now has several midfield colleagues in front of him: Kral, Florian Flick and Tom Krauß.
According to the report, he was by far the first player to disappear on the bus after the derby defeat. He had to wait there for about half an hour until the rest of the team and the support staff arrived. The fact that he was not allowed to play again in the Revierderby as the original Schalke player should have affected him a lot. And yet it’s a difficult sign from the Captain.
In any case, the management had to approach Latza – because of his shoes. He wore black and yellow football boots both in preparation and on the first five match days. A small detail, but it made sure that he was advised to be a little more sensitive with the next selection. Finally, his kicks shone in white.
Speaking of color: According to Sportbild, Kral’s Lamborghini also sparked a conversation. The car, which is said to be available from around 220,000 euros, was also a topic in the cabin.
The tenor, which is said to have been brought closer to him: Neither the black and yellow paintwork, nor the sign in the current time, in which many – especially in Gelsenkirchen – have to buckle their belts very tightly, are certainly not optimal. It was the wrong signal, they said. Both in relation to “the new Schalke” and due to the current situation in the population.
Sometimes it is rather small topics that need to be moderated. Of course, the focus is on the dissatisfaction of some players, which Kramer has to keep as small as possible. And yet there is an overall situation that certainly has the potential for further trouble. Especially if the sporting success is still missing.
This article was originally published on 90min.com as Dissatisfaction Grows: Kramer Must Fix Cabin Problems.
