With new manager Steven Schumacher on the verge of resigning from Plymouth Argyle and possibly regretting his decision, Stoke City is under the spotlight in the Championship.
MANAGER OF STOKE CITY After just 11 games at the Bet365 Stadium, CURSE Schumacher—Stoke City’s fifth permanent manager since their Premier League relegation—is already feeling the heat.
With 14 games left, the Potters—who were getting closer to relegation—moved six points clear of the bottom three after winning a crucial match against 22nd-placed QPR last weekend.
A defeat against QPR might have easily signalled Schumacher’s departure from Stoke, but according to Football Insider, the outcome has “slightly eased the pressure” on the 39-year-old.
However, if their team reverts to form after the QPR reprieve and swerves a quiet end to the season, the trigger-happy Potters hierarchy are unlikely to think twice.
Schumacher accomplished fantastic work at Plymouth, who are currently ahead of his new team in the Championship table, earning him recognition as one of the best young managers in the Football League prior to assuming the Stoke position.
Since Stoke has a better ceiling than Plymouth and the position is closer to home, you cannot hold the Scouse manager responsible for accepting it.
But because Stoke has wasted so much money and talent since their relegation in 2018, the position has grown more and more toxic. They will be spending their sixth straight season in the bottom half of the Championship.
With the benefit of hindsight, which is a beautiful thing in sports, Schumacher might be regretting his choice to play for Stoke instead of a different option that would have undoubtedly come up later.
Although Schumacher seems fairly assured and will hope to finish the current campaign before assisting Stoke in their rebuild, the same Football Insider source notes that he is “fighting for his job” and that the “board actively looking for replacements.”
Gareth Ainsworth, the former manager of Wycombe Wanderers and QPR, is listed as a candidate on Stoke’s “shortlist.” If he is selected, the appointment will probably backfire with supporters.
Even though he was a former player, Ainsworth’s outdated style of play did not sit well with QPR supporters. Despite his excellent play at Wycombe, the team barely made it out of the playoffs the previous season and was headed for relegation this one when he was fired in October.
The rumours that they are interested in Ainsworth are concerning, but not shocking given Stoke’s intense search for a solution to end their protracted suffering. However, if he is hired, it won’t be long until they start looking for a permanent manager for the eighth time in six years.
