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Schalke 04 to streamline scouting and academy structures following review
Following the end of the summer transfer window, board member for sport Frank Baumann carried out a thorough review of his areas of responsibility. Based on his findings, the club’s board has decided to make structural adjustments to scouting, recruitment and the Knappenschmiede.
Under Baumann’s leadership, Schalke’s overriding aim is to be as well equipped as possible to identify talented players early and successfully bring them to the club.
As part of these changes, Schalke have parted ways with Ben Manga, who had been serving as director of squad planning, scouting and the Knappenschmiede. Baumann will take on his duties on an interim basis.
Baumann explained the decisions as follows: “As I said when I started here, I’ve used the past few months to get a full picture of our sporting setup. With the transfer window now closed, we analysed carefully what has worked well and where there is potential for improvement. We assessed not only the results but also the processes behind them. The measures we have identified will position Schalke 04 for the future in these areas.”
We’ll approach the process with the same diligence and care as we did when hiring our head coach.
Baumann informed Manga personally of the club’s decision: “Ben joined Schalke in a difficult period and was able to make an impact in his role. We thank him for his work and wish him all the best for the future.”
The next phase will now focus on selecting the right personnel. “We’re well prepared and have already defined the requirements. The next step is to hold talks and find the best candidates for the respective roles. We’ll approach the process with the same diligence and care as we did when hiring our head coach,” said Baumann.
The way the club’s squad planning is done will also come under review. “We’ll be taking a close look at which target markets we want to focus on and which player profiles we want to pursue. This is a team effort that requires the right balance of live, video and data scouting, all based on the Schalke DNA. Matthias Tillmann launched this project with the relevant teams over a year ago, and we will continue to drive it forward together.”
