Mike Büskens

1.1. Early career

Büskens began his football journey with his hometown team, Alemannia Düsseldorf, before moving to the city's larger club, Fortuna Düsseldorf. After five years with Fortuna, he joined VfL Benrath. In 1987, he returned to Fortuna Düsseldorf, this time as a member of their professional squad. During his three-year spell with Fortuna, he was a consistent presence in their top-division games, though his time there concluded with the team's relegation at the end of the 1991-92 Bundesliga season.

1.2. Schalke 04 and career highlights

In 1992, Büskens transferred to FC Schalke 04, where he experienced the most successful period of his playing career. He became an integral part of the squads that achieved notable victories, including the UEFA Cup in 1997 and consecutive German Cup wins in 2001 and 2002. In the triumphant European campaign of 1997, Büskens played in 10 matches, completing eight of them, which included both legs of the final against Inter Milan. During his first seven seasons at Schalke, he consistently appeared in no fewer than 27 league games per season, highlighting his importance to the team.

1.3. Later playing career

In January 2000, Büskens briefly moved to MSV Duisburg for half a season, but following a challenging season, he returned to Schalke 04. He continued to play for the club until 2003, with his final year seeing him split his time between the first team and the second squad. During this period, he also began his transition into coaching, serving as an assistant manager for Schalke's second squad.

2.1. Schalke 04 (initial stints)

In 2005, Büskens began his professional managerial career by succeeding Gerhard Kleppinger as manager of Schalke's second squad. On 13 April 2008, he was appointed caretaker manager of Schalke's first team, alongside former club player Youri Mulder. This interim role came after the dismissal of Mirko Slomka following a significant 1-5 away loss to Werder Bremen. At the time, the team was striving for a UEFA Champions League qualification position and ultimately finished third in the 2007-08 Bundesliga season under his guidance. Büskens remained in charge until the end of the season, achieving a record of five wins and one draw, before being replaced by Fred Rutten in July 2008.

However, in March 2009, Rutten was dismissed, leading to Büskens and Mulder again taking over the side until the conclusion of the season, this time joined by another former Schalke player, Oliver Reck. Following this second interim spell, they were replaced by Felix Magath, and Büskens was released by the club on 23 June 2009. His second interim stint with the first team concluded with a record of four wins, one draw, and four losses.

2.2. Greuther Fürth

On 27 December 2009, Büskens was appointed manager of 2. Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth. Under his leadership, Fürth achieved a historic milestone in 2012 by gaining promotion to the Bundesliga for the very first time in the club's history. Despite this significant achievement, Büskens was sacked on 20 February 2013. His record during this successful tenure at Greuther Fürth included 50 wins, 33 draws, and 33 losses.

2.3. Fortuna Düsseldorf

Büskens was named manager of Fortuna Düsseldorf on 4 June 2013. His inaugural match as manager of Fortuna Düsseldorf resulted in a 1-0 victory against Energie Cottbus. During this match, Büskens controversially chose Fabian Giefer to start in goal over Michael Rensing. Rensing reportedly refused to be a substitute, left the stadium, and returned home, leading to Robin Heller taking his place on the substitutes' bench. Büskens' time at Fortuna Düsseldorf was relatively short-lived; he was sacked on 30 November 2013, the day after a 2-0 loss to Karlsruher SC. His managerial record with Fortuna Düsseldorf comprised five wins, four draws, and eight losses.

2.4. Return to Greuther Fürth

Büskens was hired for a second term as manager of SpVgg Greuther Fürth on 23 February 2015. His first match back was a 2-1 loss against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on 27 February 2015. On 7 March 2015, Fürth played to a 1-1 draw against VfR Aalen. In a Bavarian derby on 13 March 2015, Fürth suffered a 3-0 defeat to 1860 München. Büskens resigned from his position on 28 May 2015, concluding his second stint with a record of two wins, four draws, and six losses.

2.5. Rapid Wien

On 7 June 2016, Büskens was appointed manager of Rapid Wien in the Austrian Bundesliga, signing a one-year contract with an option for extension. He succeeded Zoran Barisic in the role, and his first training session with the club took place on 10 June 2016. However, his tenure in Austria was brief, as he was relieved of his duties on 7 November 2016.

2.6. Return to Schalke 04 (later stints)

Büskens returned to FC Schalke 04 on 14 March 2019, taking on the role of assistant manager. On 7 March 2022, following the dismissal of Dimitrios Grammozis, he once again stepped in as interim head coach until the end of the 2021-22 season. Under Büskens' leadership, Schalke 04 experienced a remarkable turnaround, winning eight out of nine games. This impressive run culminated in the team being crowned champions of the 2. Bundesliga, securing their promotion back to the top flight of German football.

4.1. Player honours

• Fortuna Düsseldorf
  • 2. Bundesliga: 1988-89
• Schalke 04
  • UEFA Cup: 1996-97
  • DFB-Pokal: 2000-01, 2001-02

4.2. Managerial honours

• Greuther Fürth
  • 2. Bundesliga: 2011-12
• Schalke 04
  • 2. Bundesliga: 2021-22