Stoke City sack manager Steven Schumacher five games into the season

Stoke City have recently announced that now-former head coach Steven Schumacher has left his role as manager of the Potters, following their 1-0 away defeat against Oxford United at the weekend.

The result left Stoke 13th in the Championship table - so far, they have won two of their opening five league games, losing the other three. They have also scored just three goals over the course of the five matches.

Schumacher joined City in December 2023, having previously won promotion to the Championship with Plymouth Argyle and being named manager of the year in League One. In addition to this, the 40-year-old also enjoyed a stint as caretaker manager of Stockport County in 2017.

Speaking in an interview on Stoke’s official club website, Jon Walters said: “My role as sporting director is to make tough decisions that serve the long-term interests of Stoke City. After ongoing discussions with John Coates, we feel the time is right for a change in direction to bring success to the club.

“We have a young, dynamic squad that is eager to develop and a clear vision of how to achieve success, and we hope to announce a new appointment shortly. We will need the fans, staff, and players united in support to achieve our goals. As always in football, these decisions are difficult, and we wish Steven and his staff all the best for the future.”

Meanwhile, chairman John Coates said: “Steven, Mark, Chris, Peter and Elliot depart with our thanks for their efforts and with our best wishes for their future careers. We have faith in the squad of players we have assembled and firmly believe they can bring success to Stoke City this season. I continue to be hugely thankful to the club’s fans for their loyal and passionate support.”