Magath

The team underwent a late-season overhaul after sacking its discipline-minded manager Felix Magath and brought in Ralf Rangnick, an innovative, maverick coach who preaches a high-energy, counterattacking run-and-gun style of play.

The Final Four for the Rest of the World Matthew Futterman 2011

Kicker magazine and Bild newspaper said in their online editions that Magath will be presented in Wolfsburg on Friday.

Felix Magath on his way back to manage struggling Wolfsburg 2011

Despite taking the team to the Cup final in Berlin and knocking out Valencia in the last 16, Magath was fired last month without compensation.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

Schalke's success in Europe has come against the backdrop of a disappointing domestic campaign, which culminated in last month's dismissal of head coach Felix Magath and his replacement by Ralf Rangnick.

Tip of the Day 2011

Magath and his staff were behaving "like an occupational force", a club insider told Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

After finishing as Bundesliga runners-up in 2010, the then manager, Felix Magath, promised to end the 53-year wait for the championship and embarked on a dramatic reshuffling of the squad.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

The poor results coincided with the breakdown of relations between the enigmatic Magath and the supporters.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

The German attacking midfielder Alexander Baumjohann, banished to the reserves by Magath, has returned and hints again at the talent that once marked him out as the next big thing.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

A decent run of matches before Christmas eased the pressure on the coach but another bout of turbo-charged wheeling and dealing in January took Magath's total to roughly 40 ins and 30 outs estimates vary in 18 months and upset the chairman, Clemens Tönnies.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011

Up front, Magath went for star-names: Raúl (Real Madrid) and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Milan) were lured with attractive wage packages.

Schalke's 'champions of pain' seek relief against Manchester United 2011