FC Schalke are currently languishing at the bottom of the Bundesliga. However, this does not stop Supervisory Board Chairman Axel Hefer from dreaming. In an interview, he expressed the wish to „play in Europe“ again soon. FanQ asked German football fans how appropriate this goal is in the current situation.

Long-term success is the goal – Union, Frankfurt and Freiburg as role models

The first games after the winter break saw the Königsblauen falter. A 0-3 defeat in Frankfurt was followed by a humiliating 1-6 thrashing at home against Leipzig. However, just a few days later, Schalke showed a more stabilised performance in their second-round opener against Cologne. The goalless draw was to mark the start of a run. Against Gladbach and Wolfsburg, the defence and attack also kept clean sheets. Despite the „0-0 hat-trick“, the Königsblauen have now gone three games unbeaten, but have still not managed to make a significant impact in the relegation battle. The gap to the relegation play-off spot currently stands at five points for the Bundesliga's bottom club. The deficit to safety in 15th place has now grown to seven points. Hopes of staying in the league are beginning to fade. With just 12 points after 20 matchdays, VfB Stuttgart were last able to secure their place in the league in 2015.

Axel Hefer, chairman of the supervisory board of „die Knappen“, remained optimistic in his interview with the WAZ. Although some luck would be needed, he was confident that his Schalke team could avoid another trip to the second division. At the same time, he believes the club is well-prepared for relegation. After all, S04 is some way ahead of its own schedule thanks to last year's immediate promotion. Consequently, one or two further seasons in the 2. Bundesliga would not harm the club. The head of the supervisory board considers long-term success more important than short-term prospects. Patient and likeable work is the goal for him. Role models for Schalke are teams like Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin, and SC Freiburg, who have reached the top of the table in this way.

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However, S04 will not be heading to the top of the table anytime soon. Winning the championship is not possible within the current structures. The full-time CEO of a travel company sees the top teams as having pulled away due to the distribution of TV revenues. Nevertheless, Hefer speaks of great goals. „We want to play in Europe again through our own efforts,“ announced the 45-year-old in an interview. While the club still needs to recover from the effects of relegation amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the Schalke team aim to return to their former strength and compete internationally in five to seven years.

FanQ asked German football fans if such bold statements are appropriate in the current sporting situation. For almost three-quarters of them, the clear answer is no. 73.1 % of participants consider Hefer's interview inappropriate. For them, his ambitious goals only bring unrest to the club in their fight against relegation. Currently, the second division is not only a short-term but also a long-term far more realistic scenario for S04 than European club competitions. Consequently, the statements are surprising to them. 17.3 % of the fans see no problem with the stated goals and dreams of the Schalke boss. After all, it is also his prerogative to express his opinion publicly and freely.

However, it remains to be seen whether his multi-year plan will be successful. First, Hefer is running for a second term as chairman of the club's supervisory board in the summer. Possibly then as a second-division club.