Stoke City Sets Sights on Narcís Pelach Following Schumacher’s Departure

Stoke City is in discussions to appoint Narcís Pelach, a current first-team coach from Norwich, as their manager. This move comes after Steven Schumacher was relieved of his duties as manager. Pelach, who is from Spain, joined Norwich last year as part of David Wagner’s team and remained under Johannes Hoff Thorup‘s leadership. Previously, he has worked at Huddersfield Town with West Brom’s head coach, Carlos Corberán, and also as an assistant at the La Liga club Girona.

Pelach has expressed a coaching philosophy that emphasizes dominance on the field. He has been quoted saying, “We want to be the main team and go for the game,” emphasizing playing with “arrogance” rather than fear. His potential appointment at Stoke City could mark his first major managerial role, making him one of the youngest to take the position since Tony Waddington.

Jon Walters, a former Stoke forward now serving as the technical director, is leading the search for a new manager. Stoke is optimistic about having Pelach in place for their upcoming league game against Hull following a Carabao Cup game against Fleetwood, where Alex Morris and Ryan Shawcross will serve as caretakers.

Schumacher’s departure comes shortly after a 1-0 defeat at Oxford, which left Stoke in 13th place in the Championship. His tenure, which began in December 2023 after succeeding Alex Neil, concluded after guiding the team to a 17th place finish last season.

Stoke City chairman, John Coates, commented on the decision, saying it was made in consultation with Walters to change the club’s direction in pursuit of success. Coates expressed confidence in the current squad and thanked Schumacher and his staff for their efforts. Walters acknowledged the challenging nature of such decisions but emphasized their necessity for the club’s long-term success.

This decision marks Stoke City’s sixth managerial change since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018, highlighting a period of instability that the club aims to overcome.