A surprising story from Germany

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckr5yy29k82o

I’ve not been following the Bundesliga as closely as I used to so it was surprising to read this story about the dramatic decline of Schalke. They’re a very big club with a huge fan base but financial mismanagement and poor recruitment has seen them tumble to the lower reaches of the Second Division. If they get relegated again their very existence is under threat.

Have a read - there are some similarities with what has happened at Oakwell in recent years, although on a much smaller scale as far as we are concerned of course. EPL clubs should take note and stop spending unrealistic fees on potential foreign talent that, so often, turns out to be a waste of money.

The big similarity between Schalke and BFC though is the industrial heritage. Gelsenkirchen was a big coal mining area and that has gone and there’s a picture of the tunnel onto their pitch which looks like one down a coal mine.

It’s an interesting read. Honestly.