Schalke 04 had high hopes for the 2008/09 season but after only a few weeks it was clear the pre-season favourites, with only three wins in the first nine league matches, were just non-starters.

Coach Fred Rutten saw things go even worse as they were eliminated from the Champions League, then the UEFA Cup and were even dumped out of the German Cup by second-division Mainz.

Schalke fans, among the most fervent supporters in Germany, were fuming and demanding the sacking of manager Andreas Mueller and coach Fred Rutten. “Rutten Raus” and “Mueller Raus” chants taunted the pair in almost every match following the winter break.

Even when Schalke scored, their fans would jeer and whistle. Mueller was sent packing in March and a 2-1 defeat against Hamburg sealed Rutten’s fate as well.

But Schalke’s woes were far from over. With no chance of gaining a UEFA Cup spot and forced to take a budget cut with no Champions League revenues next season, the club went in search of a manager with former Bayern Munich keeper Oliver Kahn seen as the frontrunner.

But Kahn, who met Schalke officials to discuss his 30-page concept for the club, surprisingly turned down the offer saying it was too early for him. “They need someone who can be there 100 percent. Time-wise that is not possible for me at this point,” Kahn said.

So back to the search for Schalke, who are looking for an interim manager to steer them through nine remaining league matches with the team stagnant in eighth place, plus a coach for next season and a manager.

The only problem is the new manager is supposed to approve the new coach, and as long as there is no new manager there is no new coach

Meanwhile Bayern Munich are grinning in the corner as yet another recent competitor to their Bundesliga dominance fades into the background for the time being at least.

PHOTO: Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer dives during their Bundesliga match against Hamburg SV in Gelsenkirchen, March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

I’ve blogged before about the wealth of youngish goalkeeping talent in the Bundesliga, a list headed by Rene Adler at Bayer Leverkusen, Manuel Neuer at Schalke and Bayern Munich’s new number one Michael Rensing.

While Adler remains first choice in Leverkusen, and Neuer will certainly regain the gloves from the 19-year-old Ralf Faehrmann as soon as he’s fit, Juergen Klinsmann might just be getting a bit worried about Rensing, who had a shocker in Bayern’s 5-2 defeat at home to Werder Bremen at the weekend.

Rensing was anointed as Oliver Kahn’s successor as long ago as 2004, when at the age of 19 he made his Bundesliga debut in a 1-0 win over Hamburg. From then on he made occasional appearances as cover for Kahn and always acquitted himself at least decently, and sometimes very well indeed.

When Kahn finally retired at the end of last season there was no debate at the club, Rensing would be the number one, but the transition has not been a smooth one.

His record of never having appeared on the losing side for Bayern in 27 previous Bundesliga games came to an end with a series of comical errors against Bremen but even before then (just see the Champions League game against Steaua Bucharest) it was becoming clear that his greater agility is not going to make up for the loss of Kahn’s great presence.

Klinsmann has pledged his support to Rensing and no one expects the coach to take drastic action any time soon. Still, Klinsmann’s decision to bring in the former Leverkusen keeper Hans-Joerg Butt as cover is starting to look an ever more sensible move.

PHOTO: Michael Rensing reacts during Bayern’s humiliating defeat by Werder Bremen in Munich, September 20, 2008. REUTERS/Alexandra Beier