7. They’re Sticking Around
If you’re going to have a club that promotes from within and grows their superstars as Die Knappen does, you have to be able to hold onto those stars as they transition from prospects to respected footballers. That’s what Schalke are doing more than ever these days.
Look at who they’ve signed to new contracts recently—Amine Harit, Ozan Kabak, Ahmed Kutucu, Weston McKennie, Rabbi Matondo. These are five guys that can power the club for another decade and they are four guys that chose Schalke over testing the market to find a new home.
If these kinds of guys believe in the direction that the club is going, and if David Wagner, a respected and innovative manager, is in charge of it all, then the table is set for a feast. The only question is if you want a seat or not.
Moving on to No. 6.