After a massive summer player inflow, expectations were high at the bet365 Stadium going into the season. However, the Potters had a dismal start to the season, which led to Alex Neil’s dismissal in December.
To replace Neil, Steven Schumacher moved from Plymouth Argyle, although the 39-year-old has had a difficult start to his tenure as manager, winning just three of his 13 games, drawing three, and losing seven.
At the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, Stoke lost to Cardiff City 2-1 for their second straight loss.
The Bluebirds led by two goals at the interval, thanks to goals from Karlan Grant and Kion Etete. Despite Bae Junho’s goal shortly before the break, the Potters were unable to equalise in the second half.
Stoke suffered a devastating defeat, and as other clubs in their vicinity gained victories, the Potters found themselves in the relegation zone.
The team led by Schumacher is now tied for 21st place in the table with Queens Park Rangers, and they will play again on Saturday at home against Middlesbrough.
After the loss to Cardiff, Schumacher urged fans to remain loyal to the squad, but he will undoubtedly be regretting his choice to switch from Plymouth to Stoke as relegation fears grow.
Steven Schumacher must be guessing his decision to leave Stoke City.
After leading the Pilgrims to the League One championship the previous season, Schumacher did an amazing job at Plymouth, and his team had a respectable start to their Championship return.
When Schumacher left Argyle, the team was out of the relegation zone and the second half of the season appeared to be promising.
The board’s goal of a play-off push within the next five years, coupled with the Pilgrims’ reputation as one of the best-run teams in the EFL, highlights what Schumacher could have accomplished had he stayed at Home Park.
Although Ian Foster took over as Argyle manager and handled the position with ease, Schumacher’s move to Stoke proved to be far more difficult.
Schumacher’s decision to move to the bet365 Stadium makes sense, but there were red flags for him when a number of managers failed to have an influence on the team in previous years and when his predecessor Neil struggled in the Potteries after joining from Sunderland.
Ricky Martin, Stoke’s technical director, was fired last week, adding to the instability off the pitch in contrast to the steadiness at Plymouth.
Even still, there have been rumours regarding Schumacher’s future. Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that former Queens Park Rangers manager Gareth Ainsworth was being entertained as a possible successor.
The club may think about changing managers if things do not get better under Schumacher, a manager with a lot of potential who took over a challenging situation at the bet365 Stadium. Relegation to League One may have a devastating financial impact.
Supporters have been vocal about their feelings in recent weeks as relegation becomes a serious possibility, adding to the mounting pressure on Schumacher.
Schumacher must be second-guessing his decision to leave the Pilgrims after his team dropped into the bottom three on Saturday as Plymouth defeated Middlesbrough 2-0 to move five points clear of the relegation zone.
