“We are 100 per cent convinced that Buyo is the right choice for the final phase of the season.” said sporting director Rouven Schröder. “He lives Schalke and Gelsenkirchen 24/7 and will give everything until the final matchday so we have a chance of promotion back to the Bundesliga.”

One of the so-called ‘Eurofighters’ who won the UEFA Cup with the Royal Blues in 1996/97, Büskens made over 300 appearances for the club before taking over the reserves upon retirement. The 53-year-old has previously had two spells as caretaker coach with the first team at the end of the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons.

He has also been head coach at Greuther Fürth, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Rapid Vienna before returning to Schalke and working as assistant coach under Huub Stevens and now Grammozis. Schröder confirmed that Büskens will – at his own request – return to his role as assistant for the next season.

Schröder had said the following on Sunday in the wake of dismissing Grammozis: “We’re in the period of the season where big decisions are made. We no longer had the conviction that our desired aim of promotion to the Bundesliga was highly probably under the current setup. We are therefore of the opinion that the team needs new impetus for the end of the season.”

Watch: Schalke’s 4-3 defeat to Rostock

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Büskens to take charge of Schalke until end of the season