Millwall FC eyeing talks with ex-Stoke City manager in search for Neil Harris successor | OneFootball

Millwall are keen to speak to former Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher as their search for Neil Harris' replacement continues.

Millwall are reportedly keen to speak to former Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher over their vacant managerial position.

That's according to the Mirror, who claim that Schumacher is on Millwall's list of targets as they continue their search for a replacement for Neil Harris following his shock resignation earlier this week.

Harris returned for a second spell in charge at The Den in February, and he comfortably kept the Lions in the Championship last season, but he announced his decision to step down on Tuesday, despite his side making a decent start to the campaign.

The 47-year-old took charge of Millwall for the final time in their 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday, and after the game, he insisted that he was optimistic the club had a bright future ahead under chairman James Berylson.

"My relationship with this football club has been incredible, and I’ve cherished most moments of it. The club has been brilliant to me - through tough times as a player and twice as a manager. I’m confident I will leave the club in safe hands under James [Berylson]," Harris told the South London Press.

Harris departed with the Lions sitting 13th in the Championship table, and it remains to be seen whether they will have a new manager in place by the time they host fifth-placed Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Millwall keen to hold Steven Schumacher talks as search for Neil Harris successor continues

Schumacher has been out of work since being surprisingly sacked by Stoke in September, just five games into the new season.

The 40-year-old secured the Potters' Championship status last season after making the move from Plymouth in December, and he was allowed to oversee a big summer rebuild at the bet365 Stadium, bringing in 10 new players.

However, after an inconsistent start to the campaign, Sporting Director Jon Walters decided to replace Schumacher with Narcis Pelach, much to the disappointment of many Stoke supporters, and it is fair to say that change has not worked out so far.

In his previous managerial role at Plymouth, Schumacher led his side to the League One title in the 2022-23 season with an incredible total of 101 points, and the Pilgrims had made a decent start to life in the Championship before he made the switch to Stoke.

Speaking in October, Schumacher admitted that he had still not been told the exact reasons for his sacking by the Potters, and he revealed that he was hoping to make a swift return to management.

"I don’t understand and I still haven’t had a full explanation on why I lost my job," Schumacher told the BBC's Football Daily podcast.

"Jon Walters said he’d sit and explain stuff to me in a couple of weeks when things have died down, but as of this moment we still haven’t had that chat."

"I know when some managers get sacked, they need that time out to have a breather but I haven’t come out of it thinking I need a break, if anything, it’s given me a bit more fuel and fire in my belly," Schumacher added.

"My dream job is the Everton job, so this is going to give me more fuel to say right, I’ve got someone to prove wrong now."

Schumacher could be offered the chance to get back into work with Millwall, but a host of other names have been linked with the Lions job in recent days, including Mark Robins, Mat Sadler, Matt Bloomfield and Ryan Lowe, while Michael Skubala, Dave Challinor and Alex Neil are also thought to be admired at The Den.

Steven Schumacher could be the perfect choice for Millwall

After the failed Joe Edwards experiment last season, it is crucial that Millwall get this appointment right.

The Lions will not want to move too far away from the club's identity, but they will also be keen for the next manager to deliver a more progressive style of play than Harris, so Schumacher could be the ideal candidate.

Schumacher has strong Championship experience having managed both Plymouth and Stoke in the division, and he does like to play an attractive brand of football, but as he showed with the Potters last season, he is willing to be more pragmatic at times in order to get results.

Many felt Schumacher was incredibly unlucky to lose his job at the bet365 Stadium, and he certainly deserves to be considered for the Millwall vacancy, but the club must carefully consider their options before making a decision.