Lots of great young talents coming thru the Schalke youth system, so here's a thread to track all the latest player developments. Leroy Sané (1996) has been training with the pros this week. Offensive midfielder who has played as AM & LW this season with the U19s and featured in the UEFA Youth League. 9 goals & 9 assists so far thru 16 games in the A-Jgd. BL West. #Schalke's U19-Mittelfeldmann Leroy #Sane beim Profi-Training in dieser Woche. #s04 @knappenschmiede pic.twitter.com/fwoLAZ1Etg— FC Schalke 04 (@s04) March 6, 2014
Congratulations to the Schalke U19 on their advancement to the UEFA Youth League semi-final. They will play either Barcelona or Arsenal.
Well, he's the starting RB on possibly the best U19 team in Germany. That says a lot. It's always difficult to know whether a player will transition to the first team. That said, Schalke has an excellent record with these things.
It's funny, we also have Pascal Itter on our U19 team, who's one of the highest rated German right back prospects. I'm not sure how that whole thing will play out with two excellent right back prospects. Presumably one of them will be involved with the first team next year, as Hoogland is leaving this summer.
Isn't Omerbasic more of a winger or forward than a defender? Well, I never read anything about him being as highly rated as f.e. Ayhan or Kolasinac or Meyer. Can't see him making it into Schalke's squad.
He was a winger/forward, however they shifted him to defense because they thought he had potential to become a professional as a right back. At a winger/forward, you're right he didn't have much potential.
Ah ok, I didn't know that. I think Itter played RB at Nuremberg but I know they moved him higher up at Schalke. Only Avdijaj, Friederich and Itter got contracts for the first team for next season. I'm sure Sane will be moved up, too, but he has a year left in the U19 (as has Avdijaj), I think Bodenröder is well regarded, too, but he has a year left, too. Omerbasic doesn't, so I won't keep my hopes up that he will make it at Schalke. Looks like another good season for the U19. They have a chance to take first place in the Bundesliga this weekend and they're going to play Barca in the UEFA Youth League.
He is listed with a tear of the cruciate ligament on transfermarkt. I didn't find anything official only some statements by Elgert after the match against Oberhausen where Omerbasic injured himself. Elgert didn't sound optimistic at all but of course couldn't know much directly after the match. Omerbasic didn't play in the last match. Btw our U19 overtook Leverkusen and is now sitting in first place. Looks like they may again qualify for the play offs for the championship.
Looks like Omerbasic will be staying with the Schalke family for next season. He'll be with the reserve team. Frederick, Avdijaj, and Itter are the U19s that will likely join the senior team next season. Sane may get opportunities later in the season, but it looks like he'll be staying with the U19s to start (although he's already signed a professional contract).
Seeing that Avdijaj isn't an undisputed starter for the U19, I could see him playing there most of the time, too. At least in the first half of the season.
His playing time in the A-Bundesliga and the UEFA Youth League look disappointing if the stats at Transfermarkt are reliable. He still managed to score 17 goals in 15 games in the Bundesliga. http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/donis-avdijaj/leistungsdaten/spieler_196227.html Elgert mentioned in an interview that all Avdijaj was still struggling with all the fame and hype that came over him.
U19 player Patryk Dragon (1996) continues his rehab recovering from cruciate ligament surgey. Took place in individual training alongside Uchida and Aogo. Dragon featured with the German U17 NT last season in 3 international friendlies. #U19-Spieler Patryk Dragon beim Individualtraining mit Atsuto #Uchida und Dennis #Aogo im Parkstadion. #schmiede #s04 pic.twitter.com/Kjdop9k0we— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) April 22, 2014
U19 Bundesliga West Leverkusen :Schalke U19 0:2 Schalke 8 points ahead Leverkusen 3 matches to play So lets have a look at the German Championship Semi Finals 1leg 11.06.2014, 18.00 2nd North/Northeast - 1st North/Northeast 11.06.2014, 20.00 1st West - 1st South/Southwest 3 leaguematches to play Clubs with (theor.) chances to qualify North/Northeast 1st Wolfsburg 56 2nd Werder Bremen 49 3rd Hertha BSC 47 4th Hannover 96 46 West 1st Schalke 55 2nd Leverkusen 47 South/Southwest 1st Hoffenheim 44 2nd VfB Stuttgart 43 3rd 1860 München 43 4th Kaiserslautern 40 5th Mainz 39 6th Eintr.Frankfurt 37 7th Bayern 36
Bundesliga.com with a nice series of videos on Schalke's youth system: Talent Mine We go behind the scenes of Ruhr district outfit FC Schalke 04's prolific Knappenschmiede academy. http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/hintergrund/0000293375.inc.php Rising Royal Stars From the youth squad to the first team, FC Schalke 04 are reaping the rewards of their thriving academy http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/interview/0000293379.inc.php S04's Youth Strategy Schalke's hierarchy believe the Knappenschmiede academy will be key to the club's long-term success http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/hintergrund/0000293377.inc.php Man In Charge Under-19 coach Norbert Elgert has helped many current stars break into FC Schalke's first team http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/highlights/0000293395.inc.php The Fine Line Having potential and fulfilling it are two different things. Often it simply comes down to mental strentgh http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/highlights/0000293399.inc.php Spurred on By Veterans Training with the first team, Schalke's youth products draw inspiration from more experienced team-mates http://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga-tv/inc/video_flv/highlights/0000293351.inc.php