Football
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Schalke name Andre Breitenreiter from relegated Paderborn to coach

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Schalke have found their replacement for Roberto Di Matteo by appointing Andre Breitenreiter from relegated Paderborn as their new head coach.

The Gelsenkichen club announced Breitenreiter's appointment on their official website on Friday, revealing he has signed a two-year contract.

"We're pleased to have found the right head coach for Schalke in Andre Breitenreiter," said director of sport Horst Heldt.

"After Di Matteo left, I stressed that we expected attractive, passionate, attacking football from our new coach with a team philosophy that would excite our fans.

"Andre Breitenreiter totally convinced all of us he is the right man for our goals.

"He is a young, courageous coach who has no fear of making uncomfortable decisions.

"He proved with Paderborn that he can improve talented players and he knows how to discipline, shape and improve a team.

"Paderborn's promotion was spectacular and Andre Breitenreiter, despite the extremely limited resources he had, worked hard and successfully.

"The way in which his team exhausted all of their possibilities and the way they played football was impressive, as we found out to our own cost."

Breitenreiter was ultimately unsuccessful in keeping Paderborn in the top flight, although the East Westphalians' fate was only determined on the final day and in the final minutes of the season.

According to Heldt, he is now ready for a bigger club with bigger ambitions and greater opportunities.

"In our talks, he gave us a spot-on analysis of the way things are here before subsequently presenting a concept of how he will lead the team to success and to playing the kind of football that we all want to see at Schalke," Heldt said.

"At the same time, it has got to be clear to everybody that this cannot happen overnight, which is why he will be given all the time that is necessary."

Schalke is undoubtedly the biggest job of 41-year-old Breitenreiter's career to date.

Prior to leading Paderborn to their first ever promotion to the top flight of German football, he had worked only at regional clubs Altwarmbuchen and Havelse before obtaining his coaching badge in March 2013 and taking charge of Paderborn.

Schalke ended last season in sixth place, qualifying for the group stage of next season's Europa League.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has said he decided not to take the Schalke job because he wanted to stay on for Euro 2016.

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