Stoke City hire Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher after sacking Alex Neil
Stoke City have hired Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher after sacking Alex Neil this month.
It comes after Stoke City lie in 19th place in the Championship table, just three points off the relegation places.
Many had tipped Stoke to have a promotion-pushing season after an expensive 18-man summer overhaul.
Winning three of their first five games, it looked like the Potters could have pushed for promotion this season.
However, their promotion hopes have been somewhat squashed after only picking up two points from their last five games.
New boss Steven Schumacher, is hoping to shoot up the table and race away from Stoke's last few seasons of mid-table championship mediocrity having finished no higher than 14th since their relegation from the top flight in 2018.
Hoping to break away from their last few seasons of mid-table championship mediocrity, having finished 16th, 15th, 14th, 14th and 16th since their relegation from the top flight in 2018.
Speaking today, Schumacher stated: "I was attracted to this club by its history and everything it represents".
"The infrastructure, the stadium and the facilities are top-class, and so is the support of the fans.
"The values that resonate with me for a Stoke City team are bravery and hard work, coupled with a desire to play attacking football and be a team our supporters can connect with.
"We have the players to do that and, if we can get back to a point where the bet365 Stadium is thought of as a tough venue to visit, we can really get it rocking again."
Who is Steven Schumacher?
Steven Schumacher may only have one managerial credit to his name but that does not take away from his achievements.
Having only taken over at Plymouth in 2021, Plymouth's form in 2022 in League One was impressive, undertaking a club record of six straight wins in March 2022 without conceding a single goal.
In the next season, Plymouth topped League One and gained promotion to the Championship after a thirteen year stint away from the division.
Schumacher has taken his form in League One and adapted to a different challenge with Plymouth in the Championship, currently sitting 16th but only 3 points ahead of new club Stoke City.
The hope for fans and the new manager alike is that the new environment will lead to fresh change and improvements across the board at Stoke City.
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