After winning just three Championship games since arriving in December, Steven Schumacher is reportedly on the brink of dismissal at Stoke City. The Potters are currently facing Championship relegation and could now turn to a fresh face in an attempt to turn things around.
Whilst Schumacher is yet to depart officially, Stoke’s recent 2-1 loss against Cardiff City could prove to be the nail in the coffin of the former Plymouth Argyle manager. According to Graeme Bailey, he is on the brink and could go with anything but a win this weekend, with the Potters already eyeing a shock move for former manager Tony Pulis. The veteran is not considering ending his retirement as things stand, however.
Pulis would have been some appointment, given his previous record as Stoke manager from 2006 to 2013 in a period that saw his side sit comfortably in the Premier League’s mid-table for the majority.
At 66-years-old and his last role coming at Sheffield Wednesday in 2020 though, Pulis’ retirement is understandable and leaves the Potters turning elsewhere for options in their hunt to replace Schumacher, which could see Adrian Heath emerge.
According to Bailey for HITC, Heath is on Stoke’s radar and could yet become the next manager in the hot seat at the Bet365 Stadium. Heath, like Pulis, already has a link to the Potters, having played over 100 games for the club during his playing days from 1979 to 1982. Now 63-years-old, the former midfielder could finally make his return.
Now a manager, Heath recently saw his six-year stint at MLS side Minnesota United come to an end, leaving his career at a crossroads that Stoke can solve. As Schumacher’s side continues to stutter, the 63-year-old is certainly an option to turn to.
Heath choice comes with risks. In the middle of a relegation battle that they must end victorious, Stoke City can ill afford to get their next managerial appointment wrong and there’s an argument to suggest that Heath would be exactly that. The Potters need experience in this situation – hence their interest in Pulis – and turning to a manager who hasn’t stepped foot in English football since 2007 wouldn’t bring that. Now is not the time for the Potters to take risks, with the priority simply to avoid relegation at any and all cost.
Heath’s preferred formation of 4-2-3-1 would at least implement a more offensive and free system than Schumacher’s 4-3-3, but whether it would help turn a sinking ship around is unknown.
With just 12 games remaining in the Championship, those at the Bet365 Stadium must get their next decision right. Inside the relegation zone on goal difference, Stoke still have a realistic shot at survival, whether that be under Schumacher or, indeed, former player Heath.
