Schalke sack Boateng, Sidney Sam

Schalke released Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and Germany winger
Sidney Sam on Monday with immediate effect, while suspending Marco Hoeger,
as their latest defeat threatens next season’s place in Europe.
With one win in their last eight games, the Royal Blues’ 2-0 defeat at Cologne
on Sunday left Roberto di Matteo’s Schalke sixth in the league.
They are in danger of missing out on a Europa League berth next season having
reached the last 16 of the Champions League this year.
With neighbours Dortmund hard on their heels in the league table, Schalke face
relegation-threatened Paderborn and Hamburg, who are both desperate for
points to stay in Germany’s top flight, in their final two games.
Should Schalke finish outside the top six, questions will no doubt be asked as
to whether ex-Chelsea boss Di Matteo and director of sport Horst Heldt are the
right men for their jobs.
After two seasons with Schalke, Boateng, the club’s top earner, has struggled
for form and was substituted just after half-time against Cologne, while Sam
was not in the match-day squad having joined from Leverkusen at the start of
the season.
Heldt has confirmed both Boateng and Sam have no future with the club.
“It’s not the case that he had a positive aura through his body language,” Heldt
said of Sam.
“He only worries about himself and he doesn’t give off positive energy, we don’t
need that for the next 14 days.
“Sidney played very, very well at Leverkusen, but it just hasn’t worked out
here.”
Hoeger is suspended from training “because of doubts about his loyalty to the
club” until Saturday when he will have the chance to redeem himself in the final
week of the season.
More players could find themselves with a terminated contract unless results
improve, according to Heldt.
“That was the first step,” he said.
“We will monitor closely the reaction of the others this week.
“I assume they have realised that we’re getting down to business and that
others may also be affected.”

HummM