by Steven Schumacher is a highly regarded and progressive head coach with a rising reputation who can count Gareth Southgate and Ange Postecoglou among his closest confidants.
Schumacher, last season’s League One Coach of the Year, who led Plymouth Argyle to the title with 101 points, arrived at Stoke last month with his career in full ascendancy.
The first question, then, is perhaps inevitable: why did he choose to join Stoke, a club that has proven to be such a difficult environment for young British managers in recent years?
Relegated from the Premier League in 2018, they desperately need some stardust – their highest-placed finish in the Championship has been 14th (twice) under Michael O’Neill.
Experienced and astute operators in the division such as Gary Rowett, Nathan Jones and Alex Neil have come and gone, and had success elsewhere, but Schumacher is convinced he can break the cycle.
“It’s important that someone does it well, so why can’t it be us?” he says, looking out over the immaculate fields from a room at Stoke’s training ground.
“If I didn’t have confidence that we could be successful, I wouldn’t have taken the job. She couldn’t reject him, maybe she wouldn’t have appeared again. I’ve seen what’s happened in the last five years, but it’s not something you stop at and think it’s going to happen to you.
“We have to look forward, be positive and see what improvements we can make. “We have to find out what went wrong in the past and do something about it.”
Former England youth captain Schumacher is a highly motivated person who clearly means business. He is only 39 but already has a wide range of experience, from helping his close friend Ryan Lowe at a crisis-torn Bury to playing a major role in Plymouth’s promotion to the Championship from the fourth tier.
Having obtained his Pro license in June 2022, he is the epitome of a modern coach, fully in tune with data, analysis and an innovative approach to taking on opponents.
After taking charge of Plymouth following Lowe’s departure for Preston on December 21, it soon became clear that he was one to watch. Argyle only exited the play-offs on the final day of their first season and were champions the following year on a budget of just over £4 million.
Last season’s title was also secured thanks to a home record of 20 wins, one draw and two losses.
“We’ve had great success in Argyle over the years, and this season we did well with the lowest budget in the league,” he says.
“It’s all about timing and I hope I have the right time to be successful here. I believe in what we do. I’m young but I want to make sure I do things right and don’t take shortcuts. Coming to a club of this size, you understand the task ahead of you.”
‘I want us to be recognizable’
Stoke sought official permission to speak to Schumacher before Plymouth’s match against Rotherham on December 16.
Schumacher wanted to keep the game, which Plymouth won 3-2, and was in Staffordshire that afternoon to talk to Stoke co-chairman John Coates and Ricky Martin, the club’s technical director.
At that meeting he gave a very detailed presentation in which he explained his philosophy and style of play, also impressing with his knowledge of the Stoke squad.
It is understood Coates was already a long-time admirer after watching Plymouth play Ipswich in League One last season. The appointment was ratified 48 hours later.
“John is a big Stoke fan and wants the best for his club,” says Schumacher. “He has invested huge amounts of money, he cares about it and wants to do it well.
“There is more pressure and expectations here, but we have a way of working that has earned us success before.
“The team has to look like ours. “I want us to be recognizable with an identity.”
Schumacher’s style of play is based on speed, attack and ruthless exploitation of space in the final third. He normally operates with a back four, he likes to play with a defensive midfielder and two eights who can score and create goals.
Key members of staff who followed him to Stoke are assistant Mark Hughes, first-team coach Peter Cavanagh and goalkeeping coach Darren Behcet.
Stoke will be active in the January transfer window: they have held talks with Wolves over a £2m deal for midfielder Luke Cundle, who played under Schumacher at Plymouth, while Leicester goalkeeper Daniel Iversen is expected to arrive on loan. A scorer is also a priority.
Data will be an integral part of their recruitment: at Plymouth, potential signings were analyzed using key performance indicators and whether they represented an improvement for players in their position and fit within the club’s budget.
“We believe in data and if you have information in front of your eyes, you should use it for recruiting and game planning,” Schumacher says.
“Nowadays, you’d be crazy not to do that. But for me there are always non-negotiables and ground rules that I expect players to follow. There are simple messages and layers of details. I love being on the grass and training, that’s what I’m good at.”
‘Roberto is one of the best’
Schumacher is a Celtic fan since childhood and reflects warmly on his experiences dealing with Postecoglou, who left Glasgow for Tottenham in the summer.
“For a young coach like me, having coaches like Ange to talk to is very important,” he says.
“I spoke to him last week about ‘Haks’ [winger Sead Haksabanovic, who is on loan at Stoke from Celtic] and gave me some advice on what he’s good at and how to help him improve.
“I watched Ange train last season at Celtic and learned about their system. It is something I have tried to implement in the Championship but of course it will take time.”
The advice of England coach Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland has also proven invaluable.
“Gareth had a good relationship with Neil Dewsnip. [Plymouth’s director of football] from the FA, so I’ve been on Zoom calls with him. I’ve also spoken to Steve several times over the years and it’s good to have that relationship.
“It is not easy to be a manager and you need that support. Sometimes you need to get up or, when you’re flying, get down a little.
“They are coaches who have worked at the highest level for years, so it would be crazy not to ask for advice.”
Schumacher’s arrival at Stoke has been a whirlwind, with four games in ten days and he remains unbeaten. Next week will be his first week of uninterrupted training, as he looks to further implement his ideas.
But first, Brighton’s FA Cup visit to the bet365 Stadium this weekend.
“It’s very exciting to watch them and it will be a really difficult match,” he says. “Robert [De Zerbi] He is a top-level coach and one of the best.
“I want to give the fans something to shout about. I told my wife this week that I can’t wait to hear the noise when we score a goal at home, and I hope Saturday is the day.”
