Benito Raman: We’re further along than at this time last season

“It’s been tough in these conditions,” says Benito Raman, “but we’ve been training early in the morning and in the evenings to make it more manageable.” The team will continue to make use of the cooler hours of the day over the next few days.

The Belgian is pleased with the team’s progress over the course of the early preseason sessions. Much of the focus has been upon fitness and physical training but David Wagner has also been keen to introduce the ball to training through drills concentrating on build-up play, finishing, switching play, and pressing. “I definitely think that we’re further along than at this time last season,” adds Raman.

When asked why he thinks this, he elaborates: “Like me, the coach had only just arrived at the club last summer. It took a bit of time to get used to new players and a new system and to introduce your ideas and philosophy to the club.”

Positive signs against Osnabrück

This is no longer the case after a year with the Royal Blues. “The younger lads have already trained with us before and have picked up playing time as well. Also, the players who were out on loan last season have now returned and they’re also familiar with the way things are at Schalke,” says Raman.

The 5-1 victory over VfL Osnabrück was a demonstration of these positive signs. “We looked very good for a lot of the game,” Raman says. However there are still some things that need improvement. “We’ll be working hard here and at the training camp in Längenfeld over the next few weeks to improve on weaknesses in our game,” concludes the attacker.