Stoke City has made the decision to part company with manager Alex Neil following a series of disappointing performances that have left the club in 20th place in the Championship. The tipping point came when the team suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday, marking their fourth consecutive loss in a winless streak spanning six matches.
Neil assumed the role at the end of August 2022 after departing from Sunderland. Despite his experience with Norwich and Preston, he was unable to guide Stoke City to a sustained promotion challenge, with the club finishing 16th in the previous season.
Assistant manager Martin Canning has also left his position, and Paul Gallagher has been named as the caretaker manager for the upcoming match against Swansea on Tuesday night. The interim coaching staff will include Alex Morris, the head coach of the team’s Under-21s, and Ryan Shawcross, a former defender for the Potters.
John Coates, the chairman of Stoke City, expressed his gratitude for Neil’s contributions to the club, stating, “Alex is a man of absolute integrity who has given his all for Stoke City and we would like to thank him for his hard work during his time with the club. We are grateful for the foundation he has helped build in assembling a group of players in whom we have a great deal of confidence in their ability to turn things around this season and who can help us achieve long-term success. However, with the current results, we have made the difficult decision to seek a new direction for the team at this time. Nothing matters to me more than the success of our club and we are now working towards the appointment of Alex’s successor.”
The decision to part ways with Neil comes after careful consideration of the team’s recent performances and the club’s ambition to improve its standing in the Championship. Stoke City is now focused on identifying a new manager who can lead the team in a new direction and work towards achieving success in the upcoming matches.