New Schalke 04 coach Huub Stevens takes his side to face Hamburg in the German league on Sunday, just a week after holding talks with the Hanseatic club about becoming their manager.
Stevens, 57, was confirmed as Schalke boss following the resignation of fatigue-hit Ralf Rangnick on Wednesday having been in talks with bottom of the league Hamburg as late as last Sunday after they sacked coach Michael Oenning.
Dutchman Stevens has had spells with both clubs, winning the 1997 UEFA Cup with Schalke, who he coached from 1996-2002, while he saved Hamburg from relegation having managed them from February 2007 until June 2008.
Caretaker coach Rodolfo Cardoso will be in charge of Hamburg for Sunday's match, but the irony of facing the side he was so recently linked to was not lost on Stevens.
"The fact that Schalke are now up against Hamburg, with whom I was talking only a short time ago about as a possible coach, is just the way it is in football," said Stevens, whose side beat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 on Thursday in the Europa League.
The Dutchman had been talking to Hamburg's director of sport Frank Arnesen before talks broke off.
"I did not say 'no' to Hamburg, they got in touch and then called off the talks," he revealed.
After seven league games, Schalke are sixth in the Bundesliga table while Hamburg are bottom with just one win and four points.
"The task we face will be very different to that we faced at Haifa, we have to refresh the tanks," Stevens said.
Source: AFP
