Kees van Wonderen is heading into a crucial week at Schalke 04. According to several German media outlets, he is fighting for his last chance to remain head coach of the club from Gelsenkirchen. On Saturday, league leaders HSV will visit.
Kees van Wonderen is heading into a crucial week at Schalke 04 perhaps the most defining stretch of his coaching career so far.
The pressure is mounting, and according to several German media outlets, the Dutchman is on the brink of dismissal. This Saturday, Schalke will host league leaders Hamburger SV at 20:30 in the Veltins Arena, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s not just another match it’s potentially his final chance to convince the club’s board that he deserves to remain in charge beyond this season.
Van Wonderen took over with the task of stabilizing a club still reeling from relegation and a difficult return to the 2. Bundesliga. Schalke, a proud and historic institution in German football, is desperate to return to the top flight but so far, the journey has been anything but smooth. The club currently sits in 11th place, well outside the promotion spots, and their campaign has been marred by inconsistency.
A look at Schalke’s results since November paints a clear picture of that instability: D-W-D-L-W-D-W-D-W-L-L-W-L-W-W-L-D-W-L. For a club with ambitions of promotion, this up-and-down run is simply not enough. Despite occasional flashes of promise, Schalke have been unable to build momentum and each defeat seems to bring Van Wonderen one step closer to the exit door.
According to BILD, Schalke's board has already begun exploring alternatives. Former coach Domenico Tedesco who previously led Schalke to a memorable second-place finish in the Bundesliga was reportedly approached but declined a return. Meanwhile, discussions are said to be ongoing with club legend Raúl, currently coaching Real Madrid Castilla. The idea of bringing back a fan favorite has gained traction among some sections of the board and supporters alike, especially as frustrations with the team’s performances grow.
Further complicating matters is the arrival of new sporting director Frank Baumann. While he has yet to publicly comment on Van Wonderen’s future, BILD reports that Baumann is not fully convinced by the 56-year-old Dutchman. That lack of confidence is a worrying sign, especially as Schalke looks to redefine its sporting direction in the coming months. For now, the club hasn’t made a formal move to replace Van Wonderen, but the writing may already be on the wall.
Local publication Der Westen went even further, suggesting that Schalke may have already made the internal decision to part ways with Van Wonderen but is simply waiting for the right moment. According to their reporting, the only hope for the coach is to deliver a strong finish to the season, starting with this weekend’s clash against HSV.
And it’s not just HSV that Schalke must contend with. The run-in is brutal: after the match against the league leaders, Schalke face FC Kaiserslautern (6th), Paderborn (7th), Fortuna Düsseldorf (4th), and Elversberg (3rd). All five opponents are either chasing promotion or comfortably ahead in the standings, meaning Van Wonderen will need nothing short of a near-perfect finish to change the narrative.
The fans, known for their unwavering loyalty and vocal support, are growing restless. Home matches at the Veltins Arena have continued to draw large crowds, but there’s a growing sense of impatience in the stands. The expectation at Schalke is not mid-table mediocrity it’s promotion, or at the very least, a serious challenge for it.
Despite all this, Van Wonderen remains calm in public, insisting he’s focused only on preparing his team for each match. His supporters point to injuries, a transitional squad, and off-the-pitch instability as contributing factors to the team’s struggles. And to his credit, there have been moments such as the dominant wins over Hannover and Magdeburg where his tactical vision has been clear. But flashes of potential may no longer be enough.
Saturday’s match is, therefore, more than just a clash between two traditional clubs it’s a turning point. A victory over HSV would not only provide three valuable points but also offer Van Wonderen a lifeline, a reason for the club to delay or reconsider an impending change. A defeat, however, especially a heavy one, could seal his fate before the season even ends.
Ultimately, the future of Schalke 04’s bench boss hangs by a thread. The next five games and especially the next 90 minutes against Hamburger SV will determine whether Van Wonderen can turn the tide or becomes yet another name in the long list of coaches unable to meet the high demands of the Gelsenkirchen faithful.
