Frank Baumann: A spine that gives us stability

Frank Baumann on…

…the transfer window as a whole:
It was an interesting and eventful time. We spread out the signings of our new players across the months. Before I even started, Timo Becker had already been confirmed as the first new arrival, and we were able to bring in Soufiane El-Faouzi before the start of pre-season. Nikola Katic then joined ahead of the training camp. With Hasan Kuruçay we completed our defence just before the start of the season and then added Finn Porath as a versatile option. Both Hasan and Finn not only fit in very well football-wise, but also bring valuable experience from many second-division matches. Finally, on deadline day, we secured Christian Gomis, the type of striker we had been looking for. Overall, it was a positive transfer window for us. We were able to sign the types of players we wanted for our squad within the scope of our financial possibilities.

…the main objectives of the transfer window:
We wanted to build a spine that would give us stability. Based on last season’s analysis, the initial focus was on the defensive side of our game, so our goalkeeper and defenders. For those positions, we looked for leaders who could provide stability to our play, players with experience who could lead from the front even in difficult situations. Alongside the new signings, extending Loris Karius’ contract was also an important step. With Christian Gomis we have also added an exciting attacker who provides us with another option.

…the criteria in player recruitment:
The starting point was the question of what kind of football we want to play at Schalke. Work on that had already begun in the months before my arrival. Based on the findings, we selected the coaching team and identified the player profiles to fit. They match the intense, brave and direct football we want to play.

…the process of finding the right players:
The combination of live scouting, video scouting and data analysis is crucial. That’s how we defined a pool of interesting players for each position and then took a closer look at them. Through personal discussions, we were able to build a detailed picture as a team. That overall picture was then key to signing a player.

…the departures of Martin Wasinski and Pape Meïssa Ba:
We had very open conversations with both players during pre-season and found solutions last week. Martin will get playing time in Belgium. Pape now takes on a new challenge, for which we wish him all the best.

…the transfer markets still open:
I can’t rule out further offers for our players. What is certain, though, is that we will assess every situation both from a sporting and financial perspective.

…preparing for the next transfer windows:
Now we’ll take a brief pause to analyse how we operated in the window. What went well? Where can processes improve? Which markets should we monitor more closely? How can we prepare and implement our decisions even better? After that, things move quickly again – not only with an eye on the winter but also looking ahead to next summer. We want to define our needs early and identify the interesting players for those positions.