good news with a bad start

As Fred Rutten prepares die Königsblauen to face 1899 Hoffenheim this Sunday, he knows after a very disappointing first half the season that the result of this match may determine his future with Schalke. Against the seething attack of first-place Hoffenheim not only must Schalke keep its defensive mindset firm but somehow find awaken a dormant attack that has not scored more than once in the last eight matches.

That aside there was good news to celebrate this week as twenty year-old midfielder Benedikt Höwedes signed a contract that will commit him through 2014. Andreas Müller said of the German U-21 international:

“This is a good day for Schalke 04. “We’ve said all along that Benni will be one of the pillars of our team in years to come. And in fact he’s shown already what he’s capable of. He’s a Schalke boy through and through, a product of our own youth system who’s been with us since he was 13. He’s been performing very well. He’s a fast, attack-minded defender, and strong in the air as well. And with experience he’s only going to get better. He’s far from the finished article yet.”