Trying to guess what position Weston McKennie was going to play for Schalke last season under Domenico Tedesco was a lot like trying to pin the tail on the donkey while blindfolded at a birthday party. Tedesco sent McKennie on a journey from center back to striker, with stops at right back, right midfield, defensive midfield, central midfield and attacking midfield along the way.



On one hand, McKennie’s time playing a plethora of different positions showed Tedesco’s desire to get a promising young player on the field wherever he could. On the other, it eliminated any chance that McKennie had to gain on-field rhythm and consistency over the course of the season.



As tough as 2018-19 was for McKennie from a positional standpoint, it was even tougher for Schalke. After finishing second in 2017-18, the club ended last season 14th in the Bundesliga. They did finish second in their Champions League group, but went on to lose the second leg of the...