GELSENKIRCHEN: German club FC Schalke 04 on Sunday announced the appointment of Christian Gross as the new head coach of the club.
Gross has put pen to paper on a contract that runs until the end of the season.
"Christian Gross has been appointed the new first-team head coach. The Swiss signed a contract until the end of the season on Sunday (27.12.20). The coaching staff will be rounded out by incumbent coaches Onur Cinel, Naldo, Matthias Kreutzer and goalkeeping coach Simon Henzler," the club said in a statement.
The 66-year-old is no stranger in Germany. The football coach took over 15th-place VfB Stuttgart in December 2009 and led them to a sixth-place finish. He also enjoyed success at English club Tottenham Hotspur, where he was able to save the club from relegation in 1997/98 thanks to a strong second half of the season.
Gross has also coached at Swiss clubs FC Wil, Grasshopper Club Zurich, FC Basel and BSC Young Boys, winning the league six times and the cup five times.
Schalke is currently the bottom-placed club on the Bundesliga standings and are yet to secure their first win of this season.
"I want to feel the players' enthusiasm at all times. We need to have a good atmosphere in and around the team to be successful again. I will give everything so that we can accomplish our goals together," Gross said in a statement.