We must hit ground running says Magath

Schalke coach Felix Magath knows how important it will be to start 2011 with a win when his side face Hamburg at the weekend.

The Royal Blues lost their first four matches of the season and it took them months to recover ground, eventually ending 2010 in 10th place. Magath wants his team to hit the ground running this weekend to allow them to still think big this season.

“We want to start with a win because we still have high hopes for this season,” he said.

“If we want to play a successful second half of the season, then a good start would be important. We all know how good we were playing towards the end of the first half of the season.”

Indeed, the winter break came at the wrong time for Schalke, who had just started to pick up their rhythm before Christmas.

“We had improved a great deal and ended the year well, but we are entering the unknown because you never can tell how strong you are after a break,” added Magath.

“Despite playing three matches in Turkey, we are all still lacking match practice.”