Tedesco not guaranteed a permanent job at Schalke

NEW Schalke sporting director Jochen Schneider refused to offer a job guarantee to coach Domenico Tedesco yesterday at his first news conference in the job.

Schneider has joined from RB Leipzig and replaces Christian Heidel, who announced last month he was stepping down with Schalke languishing in 14th in the Bundesliga having finished second last season.

Tedesco, the toast of the German league last term, is to stay in charge for Friday’s game at Werder Bremen but Schneider made no further promises.

“We need our coaching team to be completely focused on Werder Bremen,” he said.

“But we need a change in results. We can’t carry on the way we are going.

“I am optimistic. But it makes no sense to say what happens when. “What matters is this Friday.” Earlier Schneider told the club website that he wanted to spread the workload and responsibility at the Gelsenkirchen club.

“In addition to a new sporting director, we will also install a technical director,” the 48-year-old said.

“We now have to focus on the current situation and put the team in the position to get the points they need to climb the table.”

Schalke were hammered 4-0 at home by promoted Fortuna Dusseldorf last weekend. They visit Manchester City in their Champions League last 16 second leg next week, trailing 3-2.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s honorary president Franz Beckenbauer believes the Bundesliga title will be decided by the champions’ home match with current leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund only top the table on goal difference after Bayern whittled away a nine-point lead over recent weeks.

Beckenbauer believes retaining the Bundesliga this season will be a bigger achievement than winning the Champions League for Bayern.

“The championship in my opinion will be decided on April 6 in the direct duel against Dortmund and is for me the most valuable title,” the 73-yearold told the Bild newspaper yesterday.

There are 10 matches left in the Bundesliga.

Bayern host Liverpool in their Champions League last 16 second leg next week with the score at 0-0.

“To be on top after 34 matches means more than having to survive a few (Champions League) knockout games,” Beckenbauer said, adding that defensive midfielder Javi Martinez is a big reason for Bayern’s strong current form. | dpa EINTRACHT FRANKFURT are the last German club standing in the Uefa Europa League, but Adi Hutter’s men have good reason to believe they can keep the Bundesliga flag flying all the way to the final in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.

Standing between them and the quarter-finals are Italian giants Inter Milan, but allow www.bundesliga.com to explain why it is anything but a David versus Goliath tie, with five reasons why the Eagles will continue flying in Europe…