Clayton Wood’s news as Stoke City gets ready to play Hull in the Championship
Stoke City takes on play-off contender Hull in their first game back following the international break.
Despite having won two of their previous four games, Stoke has managed to escape the Championship relegation zone. However, there are still only five points separating eight teams at the bottom of the standings. They return to play immediately, hosting league rivals Huddersfield Town at home on Easter Monday and traveling to Hull on Good Friday.
In just over two weeks, the results of the games against West Bromwich Albion, Swansea City, and Sheffield Wednesday might have a significant impact on the entire season.
With a game remaining, Hull is three points behind Norwich in the final play-off spot, currently occupying seventh position. They have won three of their last seven games and drawn the other four, but they haven’t played since a 2-2 tie with Leicester on March 9.
The most recent information from Clayton Wood, including details on Ben Pearson, Lynden Gooch, Junior Tchamadeu, and Enda Stevens, has been provided by Steven Schumacher.
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There’s been a bit of a reshuffle in the backroom staff with Alex Morris joining you permanently. What qualities does he have to help you?
Schumacher: Alex is a really good coach. When we first came in, he stayed with us for probably two or three weeks and we felt it was really necessary because he goes up in the gantry and he’s on the mic to Hughesy (assistant manager, Mark Hughes) on match days. He didn’t do the day-to-day training with us after that because he went with the 21s, which is part of his role. But this week we’ve got him back in with us and that will continue.
Obviously the 21s’ development is really important but the next eight games are more important (in this moment). Having him being fully up to speed with the game plan, it’s easier then to watch the games. That’s why he’s back with us.
When things go wrong, injuries get worse, but isn’t it a chance for another player?
Schumacher: That’s all, and these things do happen at this point in the season. It cannot have a significant impact on you. One advantage of having a large player base is that we have a large team. We’ll be confident moving into the weekend’s games and hopefully experience no more significant setbacks before the end of the season. It’s a headache when everyone is fit, but when they aren’t, you still have a roster to choose from.
How are Tchamadeu and Stevens doing?
Schumacher Junior is faring fairly well. Today, he went out once more with Nick, the head of medical. Next week, he will be turned over to the performance team, where he will work with them for a week before potentially rejoining the main group for training the following week. He’s actually getting things done ahead of schedule, which is good.
Enda Stevens is doing well. He participated in the game I listed, and his training is going well. He is once again a member of the squad.
What’s the latest injury news?
Schumacher: Ok in the main but we had two injuries in the Norwich game. Ben Pearson isn’t going to be available. He’s done his hamstring and it looks like he is going to be out for four to six weeks, which is a bit of a blow.
Then Lynden Gooch had a hamstring injury, didn’t think it was that serious but it’s reoccurred this week in training so he isn’t going to be available either. He’s had a scan and it’s a similar sort of timeline as Ben Pearson. It’s not looking good for those two on that front.
From the positive, we had an in-house game last week against Wolves which was really good. It got some minutes into players who needed it and the squad is looking strong.
The first goal is always massively important in this division but that Preston game proved you can go again if there’s a set-back?
Schumacher: We can, yeah. That’s the type of mentality and attitude we are going to need. It’s not going to be easy. Pretty much every game between now and the end of the season will be against a team with something to play for so it’s going to be a battle but we need to make sure we’re ready for that.
How are the players mentally after the Norwich game and then the break? There tends to be a lack of confidence if you’re in a situation like Stoke are in and something goes against you so are they tough or fragile?
Schumacher: They seem like they’re in a good place. The Norwich result wasn’t the type of result or type of performance we want but when we reflect on the whole four-game package we had after the Cardiff game, we played against four teams in the top half of the division and took six points off them so there shouldn’t be a lack of confidence. The way the Norwich game ended wasn’t ideal but until the first goal we were competing, we were in the game. But the first goal went in, the second one went in quickly afterwards and the game got away from us.
I don’t think there’s a lack of confidence in the group, I don’t sense that, but if there ever is a set-back we have to react as positively as we can and try to change the outcomes. I’ve said loads of times that there are going to be loads of ups and downs in this run-in and we need to make sure we deal with them as best as we can.
People might have written Stoke off at Preston and they will again at Hull but you can’t see it like that?
Schumacher: No, you can’t be like that in any game in the Championship. You have to be prepared to try to win every single one. It shows every year that anyone can beat anyone on their day if they get everything right. We know we’re going to have to get both sides of our game right. We’re going to have to defend really well but also we have to pass the ball against Hull. You have to try to take the ball and be brave and use it in areas that are going to benefit you.
We won’t write it off and look forward to the next one. There are three points at stake and we’re going to go for them.
Hull are a solid team, drawing their last few games, and they spread their goals about. Is that more difficult to plan against?
Schumacher: I suppose it can be because they haven’t got an out-and-out goal scorer but loads of different threats who can hurt you from different areas of the pitch. Of late they’ve been playing two centre-forwards who drop really deep and two wide players who run in behind you so any team who play in that style are hard to prepare for. But we’ve done our best with our players, we’ve given them all the information that they’re going to need. Hopefully we can get the plan right and we can be a tough game for Hull as well, go there and try to get a result.
Every week is a big week but this seems particularly so. Do you feel you’re all ready for the Hull game, which will have packed home stands and a packed away end? That’s the sort of atmosphere that players want to play in, isn’t it?
Schumacher: Definitely. It’ll be a good game. Hull are a team who are going really well, right up there at the top end of the division, fighting for the play-offs. We know it’s going to be a tough game against a team who like to play a good style of football. It’ll give us an opportunity to hopefully nick the ball off them and be aggressive where we can and try to cause them a problem.
You’re always inspired when the away end is sold out. The last time we played, we were at Preston, where we defeated a team vying for the play-offs, so maybe we can do something along those lines.
Bae Junho came back a little earlier than you might have expected or was that always part of the plan?
Schumacher: We kind of expected him to be available for (South Korea under-23s’) third game but he was sent back a little bit earlier, which is a benefit for us. He got over his jet lag a little bit sooner. It was in Saudi that he played his two games. He did really well, he played both games and did really well in them and I’m sure he enjoyed his experience.
It was good to have him back. He looked a bit tired when he first got back in. He trained on Tuesday or Wednesday with the group. But he’s fine now, he’s nice and fresh.
And the four senior players who have gone away – Johnson, Junho, Manhoef, Thompson – how have they come back, all fit?
Schumacher: Yes, all came back unscathed, which is a bonus. That’s your worry when lads go away and they’re not in your control, that they pick up injuries. But they were all back in, all trained (on Thursday morning), all looked bright and sharp. Some of them played more minutes than others but it’s good to have them back and hopefully they’re ready for the run-in.
How are you going to organize the break?
Steven Schumacher a little bit of both. After a few days of practice last week, we gave the players a little weekend break before returning this week to get ready for Hull. When there are international breaks, it’s crucial that the boys who aren’t traveling with their nations not only pass the time but also get some much-needed sleep.
