2012/18 Atsuto Uchida @ Schalke 04 (GER/CL)

Yes, but in these cases isn't the difference covered by insurance, rather than the player's own pocket?

 

Absolutely.

 

In Germany the employers continue paying for the first 6 weeks from the start of any injury. After that the health insurance is paying for up to 78 weeks, though the obligatory public one only covers up to 6000 Euro per month. Covering the remaining amount and time is responsibility of the players by insuring themselves through private health insurances. One common private insurance appears to be 1500 Euro per day during injury which costs around 2000 Euro per month. One article from 6 years ago claims only 5% of the players are actually prepared and have additional private health insurances.

 

In general, good agents that I know get the clubs to pay for these private insurances as a condition to the signing.

 

FWIW, Uchida is on Schalke's Europa League roster, suggesting that there is a non-zero chance that he returns before winter break.

 

http://www.fussball.news/uchida-koennte-in-drei-wochen-mit-dem-ball-trainieren/
S04 sporting director says that Uchida will be able to start training with the ball in 3 weeks and is cautiously optimistic that he may be able to play before the winter break, hence the aforementioned EL squad listing.

 

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...oll-check_uchida-kann-belastung-steigern.html
Uchida's MRI results were positive. He will have a followup exam in 4 weeks, after which he could potentially return to full training.

 

Uchida is back in team training.

Atsuto #Uchida ist am Sonntag wieder ins #Schalke-r Mannschaftstraining eingestiegen. 😊💪🏻

— Ruhr Nachrichten S04 (@RN_S04) October 16, 2016

 

Uchida comments on his current state:
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20161024-00506828-soccerk-socc
On the team: "The squad has plenty of players and just needs to gel. We have a lot of games in the schedule, which the manager uses to tinker with the lineup. We acquired a bunch of guys, so it's not like we're short-handed."

On his knee: "I basically feel good to go. I've been asking the club to let me participate in full training, but with EL we don't have many full-intensity training sessions. I could join in, but my individual training is better for getting my physical condition up."

On returning to match action: "There are always unexpected incidents in soccer. I might have to move at an awkward timing, slip, or an opponent might land on my body. Stuff happens, and there's always the risk of getting injured regardless of whether you're coming off surgery. My own movements are pretty back to where they were at least mentally, so it's a matter of whether I can withstand accidents and unexpected load. That being said, if the manager asks me to go, I'm ready."

On Markus Weinzierl: "Well, I hit a few nice crosses during training and he winked and said, 'your knee's improving'. As far as the national team goes, honestly I'd like to go in November but I have to get some match time at Schalke first. Counting back from that milestone, I'd have to first return to full training and then make the bench, so really there wasn't any chance. But framing the recovery in those terms makes a big difference in terms of how I approach the rehab."

 

Schalke's sporting director remarked that the team is targeting the Europa League fixture vs Salzburg on 12/9 for Uchida's return.

 

Uchida made the trip to Salzburg and it sounds like he's likely to play.

 

Fantastic!

Still think a fit Uchida is better than both Caicara and Riether, but they also signed Coke ahead of this season ( who have been injured ever since...)

The problem though is that Schalke now play 3-5-2 and have gone away from a 4-back line under Weinzierl, and is Uchida good enough offensively to hold that RM/RWB/RW-position which currently Schöpf holds?

Will be very nice to see him back wearing the royal blue uniform though!

 

Comeback! Just subbed in in min 82.
Schalke playing in Salzburg, trailing by one goal.
Edit: Lost 0-2, was a meaningless match anyway as Schalke was winning the group in any case. Uchida seemed fit and speedy.

 

TOOR für #Schalke! #Konoplyanka trifft zur 2:1-Führung unmittelbar nach der Pause. #Uchida hatte per Kopf aufgelegt. #S04

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04) January 10, 2017

#Uchida enjoying his first run out since his return in the #UEL in December! Always great to see Uchi on the field! #S04InSpain 🇪🇸 2-1 pic.twitter.com/UCAXxVbvr1

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) January 10, 2017

 

🎥 #内田篤人 ドイツ語インタビュー1️⃣

昨日のテストマッチを振り返ってくれました❗️ #s04 #S04InSpain 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/IpAoElhWMT

— FCシャルケ04 (@s04_jp) January 11, 2017

🎥 #内田篤人 ドイツ語インタビュー2️⃣

45分間プレーした今の心境を語ってくれています。#s04 #S04InSpain 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/svezXpEbx8

— FCシャルケ04 (@s04_jp) January 11, 2017

 

Would'nt he have gotten some minutes if it all went the right way? Since he made the comeback 2 months ago.

Schalke through in Europa Leauge.

 

Funny timing as the press (e.g. Kicker) reported today that he's planned to make his comeback together with Coke in a test match against Hannover 96 next Thursday.

 

Indeed.

Unsere Start-1️⃣1️⃣ für das @GAZPROMGermania-Benefizspiel! #H96S04 #S04 pic.twitter.com/HIB5Zmm2oT

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04) March 23, 2017

 

Weinzierl: "Coke, Atsuto Uchida and Franco Di Santo have shown after their long injury absences that they can go 90 minutes and can be considered options for the upcoming matches again."

 

He was on the bench yesterday against Darmstadt.

 

Scored a brace today for Schalke in a friendly !

 

Not even on the bench in the cup tonight. So that means he is still not ready?

 

Only info I found is that he (along with some other long time injured players like Coke) gets additional training to get closer to match fitness again.