Steven Schumacher’s Plymouth beat Stoke earlier this month, in what proved to be Alex Neil’s final away game in charge
Championship strugglers Stoke City have appointed Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher as their head coach.
The 39-year-old leaves the Pilgrims – who are three points above the Potters in the second tier – to replace Alex Neil on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
Schumacher spent two years in charge at Argyle, leading them to the League One title with 101 points last season.
Stoke, without a win in eight, are three points above the drop zone and on to their sixth manager in six years.
Plymouth assistant manager Mark Hughes, first-team coach Peter Cavanagh and goalkeeping coach Darren Behcet have also left the club to join Schumacher.
Schumacher, who initially joined Argyle as assistant to Ryan Lowe and was promoted in December 2021 when Lowe left for Preston, said he was “attracted” to Stoke by “its history and everything it represents”.
“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,” he told Stoke’s website.external-link
“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.”
Neil was sacked on 10 December after 16 months in charge, having led the club to a 16th-placed finish in 2022-23.
Schumacher follows the same route as Tony Pulis, Stoke’s most successful manager of the past 50 years, who left Home Park to return to the Potteries for a second spell in charge in 2006, culminating to the club’s return to the top flight in 2008.
More to follow.
2023-12-19 18:42:14
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