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Schubert hitting all the right notes with Gladbach

Football - Borussia Monchengladbach v Manchester City - UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Group D - Stadion im Borussia-Park, Monchengladbach, Germany - 30/9/15 Borussia Monchengladbach coach Andre Schubert Action Images via Reuters / Carl Recine Livepic

By Karolos Grohmann (Reuters) - Borussia Moenchengladbach reserve team coach Andre Schubert was only supposed to be a stop-gap solution when he took over from Lucien Favre at the Bundesliga strugglers last month but after four straight league wins and a Champions League draw, the players may be dancing to his tune a while longer. The 44-year-old was put in charge after Favre resigned in September following a miserable start to the season that saw Gladbach lose five straight. Schubert has steadied the ship, leading them to four consecutive league victories and saw them earn their first point in the Champions League with a goalless draw at Juventus on Wednesday despite the absence of several players, including winger Patrick Herrmann, through injury. Victory over Schalke 04 on Sunday would further improve his chances of earning a long-term contract and club bosses are eager to ride the new-found success under the little-known coach for as long as it lasts. "I have often said that Andre is doing a great job. But we want to find a new coach in our own time and we are currently orientating ourselves," said Gladbach sports director Max Eberl following their draw in Turin. "The new coach could also be Andre Schubert. I never ruled that out." Only days earlier, Eberl had hinted Schubert was their only candidate, saying: "Andre's work is outstanding and argument enough. We are currently not negotiating with other coaches." Gladbach finished third last season under Favre but lost their way at the start of the current campaign following the departure of Germany internationals Max Kruse and Christoph Kramer in the close season. Schubert has quickly applied his exciting brand of attacking football and despite missing the injured Herrmann, Nico Schulz and Martin Stranzl, has led his team from last place to 10th in the space of a month. New arrival Lars Stindl is finally hitting top form and midfielder Granit Xhaka has taken more of a lead role, while teenager Mahmoud Dahoud, a whirlwind in midfield, is the season's early revelation. "I am just enjoying it at the moment," said the soft-spoken Schubert, a former Germany national youth team coach and who also coached Paderborn and St Pauli in the lower divisions. "It is just a joy to work with the team." Schalke will be no pushovers though, with coach Andre Breitenreiter, also a Paderborn alumnus, having made a fine start in his first season in charge. The Ruhr valley club are third on 19 points, one point behind second-placed Borussia Dortmund and eight off leaders Bayern Munich, having won five of their last six matches. Bayern, who set a league record last week with their ninth straight win to start the campaign, take on Cologne while Dortmund host Augsburg. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)