Steven Schumacher first arrived at Plymouth Argyle in June 2019, serving as an assistant coach for former manager Ryan Lowe.
Upon the departure of Lowe to take a similar position with Preston North End, the Pilgrims board quickly announced Schumacher as Lowe’s appoint at the helm of Plymouth Argyle to serve as manager. However, the promotion was not Schumacher’s first time as a head coach/manager. He has previously served as interim manager at Southport (2017) before his release from the club as a player, in addition to being a U11 coach at Everton. As first team coach with Bury during the 2018/19 season, Schumacher was instrumental in helping Bury gain promotion back to Sky Bet League One alongside permanent manager Lowe.
This season, the former long-time Bradford City and Bury player served his first game in charge of the Pilgrims in the club’s 1-1 draw with MK Dons in December.
Manager Schumacher has been speaking to the media ahead of Saturday:
On the team’s 3-3- draw with Fleetwood Town during the week:
“We’re causing our own problems. We’re not defending well-enough with too many errors in different areas of the pitch. When you don’t defend well-enough, then you get punished. The last game, we didn’t defend well from a set-play, and again against Fleetwood on a last minute from a set-piece. We’re not pleased about that.
“[I think it is a confidence thing]. I think we’ve defended quite well this season, I just don’t think we’re doing well enough at the moment. In 1v1 situations, we’re not stopping enough crosses into wide areas. And then when a ball goes into our box where we’ve been so solid, and lads have been getting headers on things and getting it away – at the moment, we’re not.”
On playing another away game against Doncaster Rovers:
“Again, we’ll go home, and have to pick ourselves up and go again on Saturday [against Rovers]. It’s another massive game. You have to pick up as many points as you can away from home, and yet carry on with these road trips and try to stay in the pack.
“[Doncaster] is going to be a tough game there. They had a good result last weekend [against MK Dons]. We’re going to have to be at our best to go and get a result there.”
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