Steven Schumacher manager of Plymouth Argyle applauds the fans at full time looks dejected during the Sky Bet Championship match Coventry City vs Plymouth Argyle at Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, United Kingdom, 28th November 2023 (Photo by Stan Kasala/News Images)
“Simply not the answer” – Stoke City eyeing ex-QPR manager as Steven Schumacher replacement: The verdict
FLW’s verdict on the possibility of Gareth Ainsworth replacing Steven Schumacher at Stoke City
Hiring Gareth Ainsworth as a replacement for Steven Schumacher would be a drastic decision by Stoke City, considering Schumacher has only been in the role for two months.
Ainsworth could be a good short-term solution for the club if they are looking to avoid relegation but may not be the right choice for long-term success.
Sacking Schumacher and bringing in Ainsworth would be a knee-jerk reaction that is unlikely to help Stoke City stay in the league and could potentially lead to relegation.
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Stoke City are already lining up potential candidates to replace Steven Schumacher as manager.
According to Football Insider, the Potters have shortlisted former QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth as a potential replacement for the 39-year-old.
Schumacher was only appointed by the Championship club in the middle of December but is already under pressure to keep his position.
Steven Schumacher’s Stoke City win record
Stoke have won just three of his 11 games in charge in all competitions, with the team fighting against relegation from the second tier.
Victory over QPR on Wednesday night may buy him more time in his position, ending a run of four defeats in a row in the league.
His previous stint at Plymouth saw him lead the team back to the Championship for the first time in more than a decade, earning 100 points on their way to the League One title, showing he has what it takes to be a successful coach.
Here we ask our FLW writers their verdict on whether Ainsworth would be the right man to take the club forward in place of Schumacher…
Reflects worse on Stoke than Schumacher
Declan Harte
This would be a very drastic decision to make from Stoke given Schumacher is only two months in the role.
If the club is going to hire someone to come in and save the club from potentially getting relegated, then Ainsworth could be a good short-term solution.
But his time at QPR showed that even with greater resources than he had at Wycombe Wanderers, there is a certain shelf-life to his style of play at this level.
