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Following open and honest discussions, FC Schalke 04’s executive board and André Hechelmann have agreed to part ways, in a decision shared on Wednesday, March 6. The 39-year-old will leave his position as technical director with immediate effect, with his duties set to be shared amongst the club’s governing body for the time being.
“After respectful and good discussions, we arrived at the decision to end our cooperation. We wish André all the best for the future, both personally and professionally,” said Matthias Tillmann, CEO of S04. Hechelmann joined the Royal Blues in summer 2021 as the club’s chief scout and head of the scouting department, and assisted in the rebuild of the Schalke squad following their relegation from the Bundesliga. Hechelmann took up a position as sporting director in June 2023 before transitioning into a role as technical director at the turn of the year.
“I had the honour and joy of being able to put my passion and commitment into my role at FC Schalke 04 every day. Over the last two and a half years, we have always tried to communicate to new players and staff that the club should always be a priority – regardless of the current situation or position of the individual in question. I have made this decision about my future with this in mind. I not only wish the club and the team in particular – who proved their quality once again against FC St. Pauli recently – all the best in their bid to stay up, but am fully convinced that they will achieve this. Glück auf, and a special thank you to our incredibly passionate fans,” said Hechelmann.
S04’s governing body sees this development as an opportunity to continue with the restructuring the club’s football department, according to Tillmann. “We considered the possibility of this exact scenario during our discussions at the end of last year, so we have been able to quickly initiate our search for a successor,” he said. “Our position as a board is clear: We will seek to add an individual who is highly-motivated and will be able to use their expertise to help us achieve our goals.”
