In recent days around 100 applications have been submitted for the managerial role at Plymouth Argyle – So we’ve put our collective heads together to try and list 100 people who COULD be announced the successor of Steven Schumacher.
Our 5 part series sees us list those who’ve sprung up on the rumour mill, feature in the betting odds, those with experience, the outsiders and the Janners themselves. Including the obvious names, the unlikely lads and some names you may have never heard of.
We’ll aim to drop a new article as regularly as possible, but without further ado, here’s some who might have an outside chance of taking up the vacant hotspot:
Who’s missing? Let us know!
Read More: The Rumour Mill | The Experienced | The Janners
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Michael Appleton
Current club: Charlton Athletic
Adam | There was a time where I’d have probably seen Michael Appleton as the ideal man to take charge at Home Park. Alas, that time was probably at least half a decade ago. Appleton hasn’t been without success in his career. His time at Oxford was particularly impressive, as he took them from League Two obscurity to the brink of the League One play-offs. That spell ended in 2017 though, and his record since, particularly in the second tier, has left a lot to be desired. He’s now taken on one of the Football League’s most poisoned chalices at Charlton Athletic. Nobody tends to make it out of The Valley unscathed, so I don’t think now is the time to hand Appleton the Argyle reigns.
1/5
Mark Bonner
Last Club: Cambridge United
Sam | How the tables can turn in football. It was only 16 months or so ago that Mark Bonner reportedly turned down the chance to become a manager in this league. Rotherham eventually went for Matt Taylor instead but Bonner’s stock was at an all time high. It fell like a stone however, as Cambridge United plummeted into a relegation fight. Bonner kept them up on the last day and was sacked this Autumn after making a poor start to the season. Overall, Bonner had the U’s punching above their weight for most if not all of his tenure there. He has undoubtedly earned another stab at management: but probably in the fourth or at best third tier of English football, rather than the second.
1/5
Lee Cattermole
Previous Club: Middlesbrough
Role: Under 18s Coach
Lee Cattermole, or Lee Barry Cattermole to use his preferred name, may feel like the worst possible choice. Given his ‘agricultural’ style of play, you’d be forgiven for thinking his tactical style would be totally incompatible with Argyle’s desires. And you may be right. There’s not enough evidence that he’d be any different as a coach. Equally, it’s not certain it’d be the same either. Cattermole talks well, and it’d be lazy to assume his style will reflect his seven career red cards. He wouldn’t be my first choice. I doubt he’d even make my top 10. But he’d be an interesting left-field choice that I wouldn’t totally oppose.
2/5
Ian Foster
Current Club: Al-Ettifaq FC
Role: Assistant Manager
Aaron | Foster? Good Call! Currently shacked up alongside Steven Gerrard as his number 2, Ian Foster has shot up the betting odds in recent days. Yes, we shouldn’t put too much weight on them as Gus Poyet was leading the charge for a long while – but to go from double figures to 4/1 so fast might mean someone knows something. Being mates with Neil Dewsnip might help the hiring process – but could spell a puppet-master managerial style, a yes man. Besides being second fiddle, Foster does have managerial experience of his own; namely in the Irish leagues at Galway United and Dundalk before taking the reigns with England’s U18s guiding them through to the U20s sandwiching a stint with Paul Cook at Pompey. Derek might disapprove.
Young, up-and-coming and scouse? Tick, tick, tick.
4/5
Luke Garrard
Current Club: Boreham Wood
Adam | Luke Garrard is 38, so comfortably young enough to appeal to the Argyle hierarchy. But what may set him apart is that he has already been in management for over eight years, having taken the reigns at Boreham Wood in 2015. He’s had his successes in that time, most notably with a few league scalps in the FA Cup, but he’s never been able to take the club into the Football League themselves. He came closest in 2018, reaching the play-off final but coming unstuck against Tranmere Rovers. He undoubtedly fits the profile, but I just feel non-league to the Championship is too much of a step up. At least for now.
2/5
Pascal Jansen
Current Club: AZ Alkmaar
Aaron | Pascal Jansen appears to have taken the reigns at AZ Alkmaar in similar style to Schumacher’s appointment for us. Assistant to Arne Slot, who took a Lowe-esq sideways step to Feyenoord, Jansen was appointed manager the same day (or at least it appears as such on TransferMarkt) and has been at the helm ever since. Is this our chance to become a Preston or Stoke? I hope so! Favouring a 4-3-3 not too dissimilar to what we’ve already witnessed this season, Jansen holds a 1.93 PPG average (Schumacher: 1.83) and lead his side to a Conference League Semi-Final, only losing to eventual winners West Ham – and has since claimed he wishes to become “the best coach in the world. Born in London, Jansen also holds joint English-Dutch citizenship, so shouldn’t hold up the process too much. His mother was one half of pop-duo Spooky and Sue may help him provide the XFactor we’re looking for. He was tipped as a front runner to take over at Rangers in October so could be some coup, but for that reason – and our apparent lack of budget, I can’t see it happening despite my incessant want.
3/5
Ryan Lowe
Current Club: Preston North End
Adam | Plymouth Argyle are in need of a manager, and judging by how he’s regarded by the Preston faithful, Ryan Lowe will soon be out of work. What a coincidence. Neil Dewsnip said he’d like a manager in the mould of Lowe and Schumacher, so why not Lowe himself? Well, how long have you got?
1/5
Ryan Mason
Current Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Role: Assistant
Here’s one I wouldn’t particularly mind, based entirely on vibes. How many managers will Argyle have employed who have already taken charge of a major final before stepping into the hotseat? And no, I’m not counting the Pizza Cup. Ryan Mason would be a significant long-term project, and someone Neil Dewsnip could particularly enjoy working with to mould his career. Let’s not forget that despite already having some decent coaching experience, Mason is still only 32. He’d be comfortably the youngest manager in the Football League if he gets the job. A risk? Certainly. But he undoubtedly fits Argyle’s desired profile.
3/5
John McGreal
Current Club: Ipswich Town
Role: U21s Manager
Aaron | I’m always careful not to shoot my mouth about things I know nothing about and the managerial career of John McGreal is one of those things. Research tells me he’s an attack minded coach who favours a 4-2-3-1 in his current role as manager of Ipswich’s Under 21s, currently 80/1 in the SkyBet markets and his only stint as manager came during an extended stay at perennially-doomed Colchester United, although he did also have a 4 game stint as caretaker manager of Ipswich Town before Kieran McKenna was appointed. Did he do enough in that quadriptych of games to warrant a role as a Championship manager? I’m unsure, although his appointment wouldn’t shock me given Dewsnip’s recent comments along the lines of being willing to give the right candidate a chance.
1/5
Kevin Muscat
Current Club: Shanghai Port
Ok, he’s been appointed as manager of Shanghai Port a few weeks ago… which is a real shame as you can’t deny he ticks most of the other boxes. Many names across these lists have been coaches looking to make a step up into management and Muscat fits the bill here. Whilst he has managed before, winning the Japanese second tier in 2022, most of his experience has been as a coach. He’s worked under Ange Postecogulu which means he would be ideally placed to coach a high pressing, high intensity counter attacking style not dissimilar to that which Argyle already implement. It would, on the other hand, make things a little awkward if Neil Warnock were to continue attending home games. Muscat was the victim of an expletive laden rant by Warnock after a rough tackle in the game between Sheffield United and Millwall in 2003.
1/5
Will Still
Current Club: Stade Reims | Ligue 1
Role: Manager
Fin | Did you know?… Don’t need a huge background on William Stilliam as I’m sure you’ve all seen it on social media, but the Belgian is gaining many plaudits for his work in the French top flight with reims. Still recently came out confirming he’s had lots of interest from across the water including that of fellow managerless club Swansea City and he sees his next job being in England (or Wales for that matter) if we could sell him the project this would be a ‘no brainer’ for us in my opinion. Still is young, plays attack minded football and comes across as hungry to succeed. Furthermore, likely commanding less wages than an efl based more experienced head such as Mowbray.
2/5
John Terry
Current Club: Chelsea – Academy
Sam | Of all the names across these various lists, there’s no doubt that Terry would be one of the most shocking. He won just about all there was to win in club football but hasn’t really yet pulled up any trees in his managerial career. He’s had spells coaching under Dean Smith at Villa and Leicester with varying success. However, it wouldn’t be at all surprising per se for Argyle to give an emerging coach their first break in management. No, the bigger issue with Terry is his character. Simon Hallett has stressed continually and with total sincerity that Argyle are a progressive club who value morals and doing things the right way. Above all, inclusivity is key. A brief browse of Wikipedia will show his litany of personal scandals, the most notorious of which being the Anton Ferdinand affair. Whilst he was acquitted in a court of law, he was found guilty by the FA of using insulting words with reference to race. It would be hard to see Terry fitting Argyle’s inclusivity values without a serious effort to make amends.
2/5
Sarina Weigman
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman believes it is only “a matter of time” before we see women coaching men’s professional football teams. #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/AqwiUNgOX7
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 9, 2023
Current Club: England Women’s National Team
Aaron | Joey Barton would be seething! A woman with a greater chance at a Championship job than him!? Although I jest, Sarina is far higher up the list of potential candidates than Joey, both in ability and in the bookies odds. Could the best coach in the women’s game be tempted by the project? Maybe, but I can’t see Sarina giving up one of the best women’s squads in world football – which now regularly win things too – as much as I’d love to see Argyle lead the revolution.
1/5
Pete Wild
Marcelo Bielsa: 66/1 for the QPR job
Pete Wild: 66/1 for the QPR jobOne’s a connoisseur of aggressive, attacking football, renowned by the greatest managers in the game.
The other’s a Europa League runner-up with Athletic Bilbao.
— Gabriel Sutton (@GabSutton) November 28, 2022
Current Club: Barrow
Sam | If there’s one thing that’s always been true of Argyle in the Hallett era, it’s that we aren’t afraid to make a decision out of left field. When we bought Lowe and Schumacher to the club the first time round, they’d made a name for themselves at Bury. They were progressive minded and highly rated young coaches who’d got a side to the top of League Two despite severe financial hardship. Whilst Barrow aren’t on the verge of oblivion, their playing budget is if anything even lower. Wild has got them to an extraordinary second in the league, leaving numerous financially well backed clubs below them. He is clearly a man who values community, often referencing the importance of team dynamic in his interviews. Having never played at a pro level, he was formerly a tree surgeon and got his breakthrough in management with England amputees. He has climbed his way up from the very bottom and whilst he no doubt appreciates the faith Barrow have placed in him, a move to the championship would be very tough indeed to turn down.
3/5