Steven Schumacher is a highly regarded, forward-thinking head coach with a rising reputation, who counts Gareth Southgate and Ange Postecoglou among his closest confidantes.
Schumacher was League One Manager of the Year last season and led Plymouth Argyle to the title with 101 points. Schumacher arrived at Stoke last month with his career on the rise.
The first question is perhaps inevitable: why has he chosen to join Stoke, a club that has proven to be such a difficult environment for young British head coaches in recent years?
Relegated from the Premier League in 2018, they are in desperate need of some stardust: their highest-placed finish in the Championship was 14th (twice) under Michael O'Neill.
Experienced, smart operators in the division such as Gary Rowett, Nathan Jones and Alex Neil have come and gone and found success elsewhere, but Schumacher is confident he can break the cycle.
"It's important that someone does it right, so why can't it be us?" he says, peering out at the immaculate pitches from a room at Stoke's training ground.
"If I wasn't confident we would succeed, I wouldn't have accepted the job. I couldn't turn it down, maybe it wouldn't have come around again. I've seen what's happened in the last five years, but it's not something you think about or think is going to happen to you.
"We have to look ahead, be positive and see what improvements we can make. We need to find out what went wrong in the past and do something about it."
Schumacher, a former England youth captain, is a very driven person who clearly means business. He is only 39 but already has a breadth of experience, from assisting good friend Ryan Lowe in crisis-torn Bury to playing a key role in Plymouth's climb to the Championship from the fourth tier.
He obtained his Pro license in June 2022 and is the epitome of a modern coach, fully attuned to data, analytics and an innovative approach to tackling opponents.
After taking over at Plymouth following Lowe's departure to Preston on December 21, it quickly became clear that he was one to keep an eye on. Argyle only dropped out of the play-offs on the last day of its first season and became champions the following year with a playing budget of just over £4 million.
The story continues
Last season's title win was also secured on the back of a home record that read W20 D1 L2.
"We have had some really good success at Argyle over the years, and we did well this season on the lowest budget in the league," he said.
"It's all about timing and hopefully I have the right timing to succeed here. I believe in what we do. I'm still young, but I want to make sure I do things right and don't cut corners. When you come to a club of this size you understand the task ahead."
'I want us to be recognisable'
Stoke requested official permission to speak to Schumacher before Plymouth's match against Rotherham on December 16.
Schumacher was keen to still win the match, which Plymouth won 3-2, and later that evening he was in Staffordshire for talks with Stoke's co-chairman John Coates and Ricky Martin, the club's technical director.
At that meeting he gave a very detailed presentation outlining his philosophy and playing style, also impressing with his knowledge of the Stoke squad.
It is understood that Coates has been a long-term admirer after watching Plymouth play Ipswich in League One last season. The appointment was confirmed 48 hours later.
"John is a big Stoke fan and wants the best for his club," said Schumacher. "He has invested huge amounts of money and he cares and wants to do it right.
"There is more pressure and expectation here, but we have a way of working that has brought us success before.
"The team has to look like ours. I want us to be recognizable with an identity."
Schumacher's playing style is based on speed, attacking and ruthlessly exploiting spaces in the final third. He usually operates with four players at the back, but he likes to play with one defensive midfielder and two number 8 players who can score and score goals.
Key staff members who followed him to Stoke include assistant Mark Hughes, first-team coach Peter Cavanagh and goalkeeping coach Darren Behcet.
Stoke will be active in the January transfer window: they have held talks with Wolves over a £2million deal for midfielder Luke Cundle, who played under Schumacher at Plymouth, while Leicester goalkeeper Daniel Iversen is expected to join on loan. A goalscorer is also a priority.
Data will be integral to their recruitment: At Plymouth, potential signings were analyzed using key performance indicators and whether they were an upgrade for players in their position while fitting into the club's budget.
"We believe in data and when there is information in front of your eyes, you should use it, for recruiting and game planning," Schumacher said.
'Nowadays you'd be crazy not to do that. But there are always things that are non-negotiable for me and basic rules that I expect players to follow. There are simple messages and layers of detail. I like to be on the grass and coach, that's what I'm good at."
'Roberto is one of the best'
Schumacher is a boyhood Celtic fan and fondly remembers his experiences dealing with Postecoglou, who left Glasgow for Tottenham this summer.
"For a young coach like me, it's so important to have managers like Ange to talk to," he says.
"I spoke to him last week about 'Haks' [winger Sead Haksabanovic, who is on loan at Stoke from Celtic] and he gave me a few tips on what he's good at and how to help him improve.
"I watched Ange's training at Celtic last season and got to know their system. That is something I have tried to implement in the championship, but that will obviously take time."
The advice of England manager Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland has also proved invaluable.
"Gareth had a good relationship with Neil Dewsnip [Plymouth's director of football] from the FA, so I've been having Zoom calls with him. I've also talked to Steve a few times over the years and it's nice to have that relationship.
"It's not easy being a manager and you need that support. Sometimes you have to be picked up or, if you fly, go back a bit.
"These are coaches who have been working at the top level for years, so you would be crazy not to ask for advice."
Schumacher's introduction to Stoke was a whirlwind: with four games in ten days he remains unbeaten. Next week will be his first week of continuous training, during which he plans to further implement his ideas.
But first, Brighton's visit to the bet365 Stadium in the FA Cup this weekend.
"They are so exciting to watch and it will be a very difficult match," he said. "Roberto [De Zerbi] is a top level coach and one of the best.
"I want to give the fans something to shout about. I said to my wife this week that I can't wait to hear the sound when we score a goal at home, and hopefully Saturday is the day."
