After taking over as head coach of Stoke City only in December, Steven Schumacher is allegedly facing intense pressure at the Bet365 Stadium.
The former Plymouth Argyle manager had a fantastic start to his tenure at the Potters, going undefeated in his first four games in charge, which included a draw against Ipswich Town, who were vying for promotion, and an away victory against Birmingham City, who were also facing relegation.
However, since the year’s beginning, the outcomes have been disastrous. Thus far in his tenure, the 39-year-old has taken charge of 13 games. He has only managed three wins and seven losses. Furthermore, Stoke has only triumphed once in their previous seven league games.
Due to their terrible run of play, Schumacher’s team has fallen into the bottom three. They are currently tied for first place in the division with Queens Park Rangers, but their goal differential is lower because they have scored the third-fewest goals this season.
Now, with just 12 games left in the season, Stoke City is reportedly working behind the scenes to find a potential Schumacher replacement. This is because the club’s relegation from the Championship is becoming more likely.
Additionally, according to HITC, Tony Pulis, the former manager, is one of the names on the board’s shortlist. The 66-year-old is free to take on new challenges. Since Sheffield Wednesday fired him ten games into his Sheffield Wednesday tenure in the 2020–21 campaign, he has not held a head coaching position.
Having led Stoke-on-Trent to promotion to the Premier League in 2008 and keeping the Potters in the top division for multiple seasons, Pulis is a legendary figure in the city. He managed the team from 2006 to 2013. During his tenure at the team, Pulis boasted a 37% winning percentage.
Author’s Perspective
Over ten years have passed since Pulis last managed Stoke City, so it would be very intriguing to see him return. However, there must come a time when the board stops blaming head coaches and starts looking in the mirror.
Since Schumacher has only been in charge of the team for a few months, he cannot be held responsible for the club’s poor hiring practices. It is entirely the players’ and the administration’s fault if the Potters are demoted to League One.
