Frank Baumann: We got the perfect deal with Max

Frank Baumann on…

…players’ game time in the friendlies:

We’re playing three matches in seven days, which is one of the reasons why we’ve brought some U23 players with us to help manage the workload. We also have to bear in mind that we’re putting the players through some intense training sessions alongside the games, so who plays when at this stage doesn’t tell you a great deal.

…possible outgoings:

It was important to us to speak early on to the players who, in our view, are unlikely to get much playing time over the coming months. What they then decide to do and what opportunities might come up ultimately depends on each individual player.

…Maximilian Wöber’s one-year contract:

Because the player has had a lot of bad luck over the past two years, we wanted to minimise the potential risks beforehand. There is also an option to extend the deal, though, if it works for both sides. Max was very quickly on board with what we offered him, and at the same time it was important for us to know that he really wanted to be here and was determined to prove himself. He believes he can show his qualities again here.

…the possibility of pressure building if Schalke go through a difficult spell in the Bundesliga:

It’s not just me; the whole club, including the supervisory board, the management and everyone else involved, has made it our aim to create continuity in the key roles. You have to believe in what you’re doing, but that also means continuing to calmly work on and improve things when you go through difficult spells. I’ve never been one for making hasty decisions in the past when things haven’t been going well. We have complete faith in Miron and the path he’s taking, and a few defeats in the Bundesliga wouldn’t change that.