FC Schalke: Take no prisoners with Alexander Nubel
By Josh Sippie
FC Schalke are making the right decisions with Alexander Nubel, but the big right decision has yet to come. Spare no one. Take no prisoners.
FC Schalke have had a really good first half of the season. They are in striking distance of a Champions League spot, their defense, despite being massively injured, is rallying around Ozan Kabak. Their attack, which has been stuck behind Guido Burgstaller and Mark Uth, has found new life in Benito Raman.
Amine Harit signed a new long-term deal, which is arguably the best news of the decade. They’ve brought in Michael Gregoritsch, who is going to be another boost to this attack. And they’ve stripped the captaincy from Alexander Nubel.
Nubel made the decision to follow up Harit’s show of loyalty to Die Knappen with his own news—that he’d be leaving for Bayern Munich for free. It’s a familiar situation that the Blues are all too familiar with. Nubel can go bowling with Leon Goretzka every evening now. They can talk about fun things, like the weather, and loyalty.
As it was announced during the winter break, Schalke have had time to sort out their feelings on the matter, and it’s coming through hot and heavy already.
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Almost instantaneously, they stripped him of the armband and handed it to Omar Mascarell, who should have had it in the first place. Now, the club can move on without any questions of who may or may not be dedicated enough to the club to ensure a brighter future under David Wagner.
The next big question is if Nubel will retain his starting job, or if it will fall to Markus Schubert, who has taken over starting duties anyway ever since Nubel decided to attempt a freehand execution of Mijat Gacinovic. It earned him a four-match suspension that has allowed us to see that Schubert is everything he was touted to be. He’s incredibly talented, passionate, and not afraid to bark orders, despite being new to the fray.
The right decision is to bench Nubel for the year and let Schubert take his place. That’s what’s going to have to happen this summer anyway. The only reason we wouldn’t is to do a favor to Nubel, which is ridiculous. He doesn’t deserve our favors.
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They already took the captaincy from him, so I have faith in Wagner to make the right decision here. Just pretend like Nubel was suspended for the year. It’s that easy.