Warning withdrawn
©IMAGO
FC Schalke 04 and goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann are going their separate ways at the end of the season. The expiring contract will “under no circumstances be extended,” the Royal Blues board confirmed in a statement on Thursday evening. It is the climax of a public mudslinging between both sides.
Fährmann was transferred to the U23 at the start of training. At the beginning of October, an interview with “Sport Bild” that was conducted without the club’s knowledge marked the beginning of the dispute. From Schalke’s point of view, this represented a violation of employment contractual agreements, for which Fährmann was warned. The players’ side defended itself legally.
In the following weeks there were repeated reports about Fährmann’s situation in the magazine and in the related “Bild” newspaper, which contained information that could only have been known to those involved in the confidential discussions. The miners emphasized that no content was passed on by the club. Attempts to resolve the situation constructively without publicity – for example with Fährmann’s lawyer – were unsuccessful.
Schalke withdraws warning against Fährmann
“The club made a total of four offers to talk, none of which were accepted. Instead, a targeted approach is sought through the public and an attempt is made to further escalate the situation. A style that his agent already practiced at Schalke and at other clubs and that is definitely not in the spirit of FC Schalke 04,” the statement reads. “We understand that there will be no amicable solution. Instead, there is a risk of further damage to Schalke 04 in a public court hearing; due to the proximity of Ralf Fährmann and his entourage to Sport Bild, a mudslinging is to be expected. In order to avert this, the club will refrain from taking further measures and will also withdraw the warning issued.”
They wanted a different farewell for the long-time top performer. “At the first meeting we promised options such as a farewell game. However, Ralf Fährmann’s behavior does not allow any other decision in the interests of Schalke 04. If there is further reporting in Sport Bild as a result of this statement, and this is to be expected, the club will no longer comment on this. There are, and this cannot be denied, more important issues that we need to worry about,” it continues. “Even though Ralf Fährmann says he still believes he is the best goalkeeper at Schalke, he will no longer play a game for Royal Blue.”
At the age of 14, Fährmann came to FC Schalke 04 in 2003 and made his professional debut five years later. After a two-year interlude at Eintracht Frankfurt, he returned to the Royal Blues in 2011, for whom he appeared between the posts 289 times, which only Norbert Nigbur and Jens Lehmann can beat in a comparison of all S04 keepers. Last September, Fährmann suffered a knee injury during training and only returned to the pitch two weeks ago.
