Kees van Wonderen: We’re all a part of Schalke together

“We know that we’re playing a really strong team,” said the head coach. “It’s another tough test for us and we want to emphasise that we’re on the right track. Our aim is clear: we want to win our final home game of the calendar year.”

The Dutchman feels his team is well prepared for matchday 16, reporting that the mood during training this week has been more relaxed after the 4-2 victory at league leaders SC Paderborn 07. At the same time though, the players haven’t lost their focus, according to van Wonderen. “The lads have been engaged and there were good levels of concentration in their work,” added the 55-year-old. The coach told the press that the focus of training at the start of the week was on the physical side of the game. “Our 3v3 and 4v4 drills were really intense. Being physically ready is the basis for our play.”

The Knappen then also prepared for Fortuna’s strengths and weaknesses during training this week. “Düsseldorf are really dangerous in the final third and haven’t conceded many goals this season. We’re coming up against a well-organised side,” he praised. “We’re looking forward to another game against a team in the top six. We’ve got a number of fixtures against some really good sides at the minute – it means we’re tested every week and have to be at our best.”

A good foundation

The 55-year-old has seen his team develop in recent weeks, even if he was quick to point out that there can always be setbacks in football, such as the 3-0 defeat to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in S04’s last home game, which ended a three-match unbeaten run. Van Wonderen was pleased that the players found the perfect response to that loss with the performance in Paderborn. “The team did really well. It’s important that we can build on a good foundation – and I think we’ve got that,” he explained.

A number of fans also agreed with the Dutchman’s sentiments during the club’s visits to a number of fan clubs the day after the Paderborn win. Van Wonderen went to the ‘Dutch-German friendship’ fan club in Kerken together with his assistant coach Robert Molenaar and club ambassador Dietmar Schacht. “It was a fantastic day and I once again got to realise that we’re all a part of Schalke together!”

Van Wonderen stated that the fan club visits also provided some extra positivity for the players ahead of the clash with Fortuna Düsseldorf. The visitors are currently in fifth place and ended their five-match winless run last time out with a resounding 5-0 victory at home to Eintracht Braunschweig, leaving them just a point off the automatic promotion places. Daniel Thioune’s side have also been in excellent form on their travels in 2024/25, winning five of their seven away games (D1, L1). The former HSV boss also has a full squad available to him to choose from.

Younes back in training after a cold

Van Wonderen is also close to having a full squad at his disposal. Although Amin Younes wasn’t able to train with the team at the start of the week due to a cold, he’s fit again now and was back with his teammates on Thursday. Several first-team players will again miss out on the 20-man matchday squad, but van Wonderen won’t be forgetting about them. “They’re all still committed. It’s good and important that they get minutes for the U23s, like Lino Tempelmann, Martin Wasinski, Felipe Sanchez, Emil Højlund and Peter Remmert did recently. I regularly speak to Jakob Fimpel and watched the last match against Wiedenbrück in person.”