Plymouth Argyle’s search for a new head coach will not begin until the club avoid relegation from the Championship, said director of football Neil Dewsnip.
Dewsnip and coach Kevin Nancekivell have been overseeing interim duties since Ian Foster’s dismissal on April 1st.
Argyle were hovering just above the relegation zone when Foster’s 87-day tenure came to an end. Since then, they’ve been on an unbeaten run, defeating league leaders Leicester City and bottom-placed Rotherham United, in addition to a draw with QPR.
Dewsnip emphasized the immediate priority of securing safety before initiating the search for a new head coach. He stated, “The focus is very much safety as fast as we possibly can, and then we’ll start that search.” He highlighted the importance of running a thorough process to find the right candidate for the club’s future.
“We’ve had one debrief over the last head coach,” Dewsnip added, “and where we feel maybe we could analyze not to have the same experience again in the near future.”
Argyle will face Steven Schumacher’s team for the first time since he departed for Stoke City in December. The 20th-placed Potters are trailing Argyle by one point and two places, with a three-point gap to the relegation zone.
Dewsnip has a longstanding relationship with Schumacher, dating back to their time at Everton’s academy when Schumacher was just eight years old. They worked closely at Argyle, first as Schumacher served as Ryan Lowe’s assistant from the summer of 2019, and later when he took over as manager in December 2021.
Dewsnip praised Schumacher’s contributions to Argyle, acknowledging his role in securing promotion to the league they’re now fighting to stay in. However, he noted that the team’s focus remains on their own performance rather than the opposition.
“We’ve trained and, with respect, the focus is very much on ourselves and trying to do the best that we can do,” Dewsnip stated. “That said, of course they know it’s Schuey’s team and I hope they use that as fuel to perform really well.”
Dewsnip expressed his admiration for Steven Schumacher’s accomplishments as both a player and manager, but he emphasized that their friendship would be set aside during their encounter at the Bet365 Stadium. He focused on his responsibilities with Plymouth Argyle and acknowledged the satisfaction of seeing former youngsters like Schumacher and Anthony Barry evolve into coaches and managers.
