Stoke City: Don Goodman urges Steven Schumacher to look to Plymouth Argyle for 2024/25 success | OneFootball

Pundit Don Goodman discussed Stoke City ahead of Steven Schumacher's first full season in charge

Don Goodman has urged Steven Schumacher and Stoke City to become more front-footed and attacking ahead of the 2024/25 season, like the side the Potters' boss created at Plymouth Argyle.

Schumacher left Plymouth Argyle to take over at Stoke following Alex Neil's sacking in December, and he led them to a 17th place finish after they won their last three games to alleviate any fears of relegation.

The Potters looked in serious trouble of relegation following their 3-0 defeat to Swansea City on the 10th April, but 10 points out of a possible 12 ensured they remained in the division, and gave supporters some reasons for optimism going forward.

Schumacher showed what he's capable of as a manager when he led Plymouth to the 2022/23 League One title playing an attractive brand of attacking football, and Stoke fans will be hoping that with a full pre-season to get his ideas across, the Potters will begin to bear the fruits of his appointment.

Don Goodman urges Stoke City to look at Plymouth Argyle for 2024/25 success

Goodman believes that Schumacher needs to look at what he built at Plymouth as a blueprint for success next season, but appreciates that it could be difficult to build the squad that he wants with players at the club on big wages who may be hard to move on.

Via OLBG, the Sky Sports EFL pundit said: "The owners at Stoke City are so good and have such good intentions, they just want success at their football club and do everything in their power to achieve it. You can't say they haven't funded Stoke all the way through their tenure. Recruitment has just not been good and that's held Stoke back.

"They're a team that I don't know what to expect from next season. I really like Steven Schumacher and admired the minor miracle he worked at Plymouth. He created a really attacking, exciting and entertaining team which would always outscore their opposition on a small budget. It was great to watch.

"He now has a full pre-season which will allow him to plan thoroughly with Jon Walters as his director of football, who will also have an understanding of what's needed as an ex-player. "It comes down to recruitment and that's what they got massively wrong last summer. It may even tie Steven Schumacher's hands a little bit, as shifting those players who came in on big wages is always a problem.

"Looking at Stoke last season, their top scorer had just six goals, and they scored 49 goals all season with only five teams scoring less. They need to find a way to become a front-footed and attacking team like the one Steven Schumacher created at Argyle, but a lot will depend on who comes in and who leaves."

Stoke have been busy in the transfer market so far and have made some impressive signings with the likes of Viktor Johansson, Ben Gibson and Eric Bocat joining, while a number of first-team players have departed.

It's probably just as important for Stoke to get rid of players as it is to sign them this summer, with there being a number of players on big wages at the club who aren't performing at the level required.

Stoke's early business has been promising, but Schumacher will need more if he's able to transform the side into one able to play his front-foot attacking style of play.

With Walters coming in as director of football too, there seems to be a cautious air of optimism around the club that hasn't always been there in recent seasons, and if Schumacher is backed it's likely that they'll improve significantly on their 17th place finish.

It's a big season for Stoke, and after years of mid to lower place finishes in the Championship, Schumacher will be hoping he's the manager to get them out of this rut and move them up the table.