Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Struggling Bundesliga club Energie Cottbus is to repay fans the cost of their tickets after a 4-0 thrashing at Schalke 04 on Friday evening.

Around 600 fans who travelled to Gelsenkirchen for the match will get their money back from the players' kitty to compensate for the poor performance, the club said after the game.

"The real restitution will have to come in the next few matches," club general manager Steffen Heidrich said.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany  - Schalke 04 routed Energie Cottbus 4-0 in the German Bundesliga on Friday night to keep alive their ambitions of playing in Europe next season.

Christian Pander opened the scoring three minutes into the game with a deflected 18-metres shot high under the bar.

Halil Altintop got the second from the edge of the area in the 23rd and set up Jermaine Jones for the third on the hour before Kevin Kuranyi wrapped up matters with his 12th season goal in the 87th.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany  - Schalke 04 parted company with coach Fred Rutten Thursday, just hours after the Dutchman said he had been told by club general secretary Peter Peters that he would not be retained next season.

The 46-year-old Rutten was informed of the decision after a crisis meeting with supervisory board Chairman Josef Schnusenberg, which the club described as "very practical and also at times emotional."

Rutten's backroom coaching team of Mike Bueskens, Youri Mulder and Oliver Reck will take control of the first team until a successor has been found.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Schalke 04 are to part company with Dutch coach Fred Rutten by the end of the season at the latest.

Rutten said Thursday he had been told by club general secretary Peter Peters that he would not be retained next season.

The 46-year-old coach denied he was in talks with PSV Eindhoven and said he was continuing to focus on his job at Schalke.

"I still have a lot of fun working here," he said.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany  - Former Schalke 04 coach Huub Stevens Wednesday ruled himself out as a candidate for the post of general manager at the troubled Bundesliga club.

Stevens had been mentioned in media reports as a possible candidate but told German Press Agency dpa he had neither been contacted or expected to be contacted by the club.

"I have other offers which I am considering," said the Dutch coach who was in charge of the team between 1996 and 2002, winning the UEFA Cup and the German Cup twice.

Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Bundesliga club Schalke 04 refused to comment Tuesday on a media report that coach Fred Rutten was set for dismissal.

"We won't be commenting on this but will be working," general secretary Peter Peters told German Press Agency dpa.

Schalke club bosses were meeting Rutten on Tuesday for "routine" talks which took place after every league match, Peters said.

Germany's mass circulation Bild newspaper reported Tuesday that Rutten, 42, would be dismissed this week.