Portsmouth Championship rivals Stoke City announce huge managerial decision
Stoke sacked Steven Schumacher after just five games in 2024/25 campaign
Pompey’s Championship rivals Stoke City have announced Narcis Pelach their next manager, just days after relieving Steven Schumacher of his duties.
Schumacher was told he was out of a job on Monday morning after the Potters suffered a 1-0 defeat to Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium. The result was their third defeat in five matches since commencing their 2024/25 Championship campaign with a win against Coventry on August 10. Stoke currently sit 13th in the league, three points and ten places above Pompey who are currently 23rd and without a win to their name.
Pelach has now been confirmed as Stoke’s new manager with the Spaniard’s first game in charge to take place this weekend as the club visits Hull City. He has joined the Potters on a three-year contract.
Speaking on his appointment, the new head coach said: “I feel a great excitement and sense of responsibility to Stoke City. I’ve had other chances to become a Head Coach in England and in other countries. But once I saw in (John Coates and Jon Walters) eyes how passionate they are about the club and how much they want to embrace a different identity and philosophy, I could not refuse and, once I’m in, I’m all in.”
“I know the league, I know the opposition and I already know about our players. The level of the squad is good. I believe in them and I will create a playing style that suits their qualities.”
Pelach had previously been working as first team coach at Norwich City for the past year-and-a-half. He quickly emerged as a contender for the role at the bet365 Stadium with Stoke said to have engaged the Canaries coach in talks earlier this week.
Compensation was then said to have been agreed with Pelach and the new Potters coach was in attendance for the side’s Carabao Cup clash with Fleetwood Town last night (September 17), in which Stoke won on penalties following a full time score of 1-1.
When suggesting what is set to be different at the bet365 Stadium now he has arrived, Pelach added: “The methodology will be different, the training will be intense every day, sometimes it won’t be comfortable and players and coaches will be challenged a lot.
“But, if we get it right and do something together that owners, players, supporters and staff emotionally believe in, there are no limits to what we can achieve.”
As well as his experience at Carrow Road, Pelach has previously managed UEF Figueres and CF Peralada in Spain before heading to EFL club Huddersfield Town. Having worked with both Carlos Corberan and Mark Fotheringham during their respective time as Terriers head coaches, Pelach was appointed the club’s interim manager on two separate occasions with his final stint coming before the appointment of Neil Warnock. Last year, he linked up with yet another ex-Terriers boss as he joined David Wagner at Norwich.
Now, however, at just 36-years-of-age, Pelach is to become an EFL head coach in his own right and it won’t be long before Pompey learn more about the new head coach with the Blues set to take on the Potteries at the bet365 Stadium on Wednesday 2 October.