"Similar to me" - Gary Rowett reacts to Stoke City's surprise Steven Schumacher decision | OneFootball

The Potters boss was given the axe this week after just nine months in charge

Former Stoke City boss Gary Rowett has expressed his surprise at the Potters hierarchy's decision to part ways with Steven Schumacher earlier this week.

The ex-Plymouth Argyle manager was given the boot at the bet365 Stadium after despite winning four out seven matches in all competitions so far this season, with a 1-0 defeat to Oxford United proving to be the final nail in the coffin for the 40-year-old.

The Potters have wasted no time in appointing a successor, with Norwich City first-team coach Narcis Pelach the new man to take the reins in Staffordshire, with Paul Clements and ex-Stoke midfielder Dean Whitehead joining as backroom staff.

City’s sporting director Jon Walters has explained the decision behind the move as the club look to move in a new direction, although Rowett still has sympathy for the departing Schumacher.

Gary Rowett shocked by Stoke City, Steven Schumacher sacking

Schumacher was sacked earlier this week after just nine months in charge of the Potters, having left Argyle in December of last year to take up his new post.

In that time, he had overseen eleven Championship wins from his 29 matches in charge, as well as 12 defeats and six draws, with a strong finish to last season helping City maintain their second tier status.

But the hierarchy at the bet365 Stadium have wielded the axe a matter of weeks into the 2024/25 campaign, leaving Rowett perplexed as another manager loses their job so early into the season.

Speaking via the Derby Telegraph, Rowett said: “I was surprised with Steven Schumacher's departure at Stoke City this week, but then nothing truly surprises you in football anymore.

“Ryan Lowe left Preston after one game. There was also another change after a couple of matches in League One when Neil Critchley left Blackpool.

“So Steven leaving Stoke did surprise me somewhat and the reason it surprised me is because they ended last season fairly well.

“They won the last three games and they've come into this season and won two out of five in the Championship and had a brilliant result against Middlesbrough away in the League Cup.

"Stoke are not near the top of the league, but I don't believe that, over the last three or four seasons, Stoke would necessarily expect to be up there in the top six right away.

“Obviously, I don't know what's happened but there's been a clear change of structure at Stoke with with Jon Walters coming in towards the end of last season.

“He was quite open in communicating with the fans, trying to galvanise the club and the fans and I thought he did a really good job doing that.

“The only thing I can presume from the outside is maybe the club wanted to go in a different direction because it didn't feel like a results-based decision."

Gary Rowett makes Birmingham City, Stoke City comparison

Rowett knows first-hand just what it is like to be given the axe out of the blue at a football club, having been in the same position at Birmingham City in December 2016.

The Blues were seventh in the table when the powers that be at St Andrew’s decided to replace him with Gianfranco Zola, before a drop off in form saw them finish in 19th spot.

With Schumacher not being deemed to have been worthy of the sack himself, the ex-Millwall man has cast similarities between the two situations.

He added, via the Derby Telegraph: “In Steven's case, it was similar to me at Birmingham in that if you lose your job and it's not because of results, it always feels a little harsher.

“There is a little bit of a stigma and it feels like you've failed when, actually, in certain situations, you could have done a reasonable job.

“But when the club decides to go down a different route that's a very different feeling. That's the one that always makes you feel a little bit uneasy and a little disappointed with.

“Steven's already said he was quite surprised about the decision but every owner who puts millions and millions of pounds into their football club has a decision to shape the club however they want.

“But, in a lot of these cases, you don't know the background or the ins and outs as to why they've made that decision. They could be sat there wanting to build a future with that manager and something may have then happened to make them change their mind.

“We don't know what's gone on in that specific case at Stoke, but I agree the timing, particularly to people in the outside world, always looks strange when you've had a transfer window and you've had a chance to build.”