Huub Stevens: Because of my friendship with Rudi and my love for the club

Huub Stevens‘ third spell as FC Schalke 04 head coach has been over now for a couple of days – and it was definitely his last. “It had to end sometime and now it finally has,” said the Dutchman in an interview with Schalke TV. Stevens also spoke about the tiring past few months, his meeting with David Wagner and his personal aims for the future.

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23.05.19, 16:07

Huub Stevens

Stevens already knew that his return to the coaching bench would be extremely difficult. “But I had actually imagined it to be a little bit easier than it turned out to be,” admitted the Limburg-born man. His decision to return to the role wasn’t that difficult for him because of his love for the club. He also wanted to help out Schalke by coaching them one more time for his friend who recently passed away. “It was no accident that my friendship with Rudi Assauer started on the first day we met. He helped install his way of thinking about Schalke 04 in me. He set an example and I carried that on,” said Stevens.

Rudi helped to install his way of thinking about Schalke 04 in me. He set an example and I carried that on.

Huub Stevens

He will “obviously miss working with the lads and being on the pitch with them.” The 65-year-old will also not be thinking about reversing his decision to finally end his coaching career once and for all: “The time has come for younger coaches.” Would he return if he were needed in another crisis? “In that case, I’d hope that my family would talk me out of it!”

Huub has already spoken with the future head coach, David Wagner, who played for him in the 1996/97 season, when Schalke won the UEFA Cup. “David knows what is required at Schalke. I felt that he has own ideas,” said the Dutchman, who is now looking forward to having more free time. Stevens is aiming to now spend more time with his friends and family, as well as “enjoy the normal life again.“

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