Bolton Wanderers Boss Steve Schumacher Talks On His Stoke City Disappointing Departure

The Liverpudlian says he has nothing to prove after his brief stay at the Bet365 Stadium now that he has resumed his coaching career with Wanderers.

Schumacher managed just 32 league games at Stoke after moving from Plymouth Argyle in December 2023 and has spoken in the past about his confusion over the reasons given for the club’s decision.

But after his appointment at Bolton this week, Schumacher insists he has moved on.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve got a point to prove,” he said. “I think the objectives that I was set, I had a really good time at Argyle, got the opportunity to go on and represent Stoke City, the objectives that were put in front of me we achieved.

“Obviously they made the decision to make a change when they did, which is football, it’s something you’ve got to deal with.

“But I understand where my strengths are, I understand which areas I’ve got to improve, and I have still got that hunger and desire in my belly to keep improving and be the best possible head coach and manager that I can be.”

Wanderers go to Reading today level on points with Leyton Orient in the final play-off position and with a chance of moving into the top six for the first time since October.

Promotion has been the target for the club since the start of the season and Schumacher is excited to pick up the baton.

“We absolutely wouldn’t be coming to this type of football club if that wasn’t the ambition,” he said. “We want to try and get this club to the next level, and the beauty about this football club is that if we do get to the next level, there really is no ceiling, so I’m really delighted to be here.

“It is going to take a lot of hard work. It isn’t easy, as I remember from last time I coached at this level. But I am confident that we can achieve the objectives that we all want to do.”

Schumacher led Plymouth to promotion as champions in 2023 in what was his first full season in management – and he reckons one of the main contributing factors to the Pilgrims’ success was the bond forged with their supporters.

“It was a combination of things in the end,” he said. “We had a really good togetherness within the club internally, behind the scenes, the ownership structure, the players and team spirit were fantastic.

“We had no fear. We went up against some really good teams that year and had no fear, and we really went for every single game.

“But the most overriding factor of that season was the link that we had with the fanbase, and that’s something that I’m obviously going to need here.

“It’s an incredible fan base here at Bolton Wanderers, the stadium is fantastic, if we can get that energy inside the stadium, if they can enjoy and appreciate the 100 per cent effort that we’ll demand from the players, then that’ll be a big combination and it’ll be hard to stop.”