Stoke City have already made their move to find a replacement for the departed Steven Schumacher, with an attack-minded coach reportedly being lined up, according to John Percy.
Schumacher sacked as Stoke manager
It hasn’t been the most eye-catching start to the season for the Potters in the Championship, and they find themselves sitting 13th in the table currently. Two wins and three losses have come their way in that time, and while that is far from disastrous, it has proven to be fatal for Schumacher.
The 40-year-old has been relieved of his duties as manager, having only arrived last December, with Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Oxford United proving to be the final straw for Stoke’s owners.
Schumacher may have guided the Potters to 17th in the Championship last season, successfully steering them away from the threat of relegation, but those high up seemingly believe he wasn’t the right man to take the team forward, as they look for a better campaign this time around.
His dismissal means that the search is now on to find a replacement and one name has already been thrown into the hat soon after the Englishman’s sacking.
Stoke line up Schumacher replacement
According to reliable journalist Percy on X, Stoke are interested in making Norwich City coach Narcis Pelach their next manager, with talks planned with him after being given permission by their Championship rivals:
Pelach would be an interesting appointment if he ends up being the man to succeed Schumacher in the Stoke hot seat, even though he isn’t currently a manager in his job, instead being a part of Johannes Hoff Thorup’s coaching staff at Norwich.
The 36-year-old has been interim manager at Huddersfield Town, admittedly for only two matches, and is known for playing an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation as his system of choice. Given his age, he could also feel like a fresh young appointment, not to mention the fact that he may bring goalkeeping coach Paul Clements with him if talks go well, as Percy alludes to.
There would be a risk element involved with Pelach, considering his lack of experience as a manager, but emerging young coaches feel like a big part of the modern game currently, with 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler impressing in charge at Premier League side Brighton, for example.
Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season
Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.
ByStephan GeorgiouApr 22, 2025
The Norwich man may not be the only contender to replace Schumacher, with others sure to be thrown into the hat in the coming days, but it is encouraging to see Stoke acting fast, perhaps even looking to bring in the new man in time for the visit of Hull City on Friday night, even though the decision must not be rushed.