Youri Mulder: What matters is how you learn from times like that

“We produced a solid display, but also missed the chance to make it 3-0,” said Schalke’s director of professional football in his post-match assessment. “When you then go and concede from that position, it makes the game a lot more intense all of a sudden.” Many spectators were surely starting to think back to S04’s prior game against Dynamo Dresden at home, which saw Schalke lead 2-0 until the 78th minute but forced to accept a 2-2 draw when the whistle blew for full time. This time, though, Schalke managed to ensure that they would travel back to Gelsenkirchen with nothing other than three points.

With the win against KSV, the Knappen succeeded in bringing to an end their five-game winless run. Youri Mulder is one man who isn’t catastrophising about the unfortunate streak: “I’m not focusing too much on that run of bad form, rather on the fact that it’s always possible to get back to a good place if you’re concentrating fully and working tirelessly every day.” Of course, the 56-year-old is aware that football is primarily about results, but also emphasised: “The question you always need to be asking is this: how are we going to get to where we want to be? And I’ve been pleased with how we’ve worked on that in recent weeks.”

The Dutchman highlighted the fact that keeping a sense of calm was incredibly important in this respect. “It’s not inherently a bad thing to make mistakes. It’s all about what you learn from times like that and take forward into the future.” Players and coaching staff worked together regularly to analyse what was happening on the pitch and improve for the future. “Instead of getting agitated, the boys have been focusing and working hard every week, and constantly improving in what they need to do.” It’s also important to recognise that Schalke’s new signings are bedding into the team’s play more and more with every week that comes.

One such player to have already helped the team make progress on the pitch is Edin Džeko. The veteran striker brings a lot to the side through both his quality and experience. “He fits into this group perfectly,” said Mulder, when asked about the 39-year-old. “He gives the younger players bits of advice here and there, and he offers us a lot on the pitch through the skills he possesses as a player.” The Bosnia and Herzegovina captain still has both feet planted firmly on the ground, too. “He’s never patronising or arrogant, you can simply see how much joy he constantly gets out of football.”