When Steven Schumacher w?s a pupil ?t Cardinal Heenan Hi?h School in , h? ga?e th? answer that al? littl? boys d? d?ring talks ?bout careers.
‘Sir, ? w?nt to be a footballer and play ?t Wembley’ is ?aid in countless classrooms ac?oss the city, every ?ay of the we?k, ?ut never in Schumacher’s wildest dreams ?ould ?e ?ave envisaged sharing t?e biggest d?y of his professional life ?ith his teacher b? h?? side.
Schumacher ?ill be bursting ?ith pride on Sunday when h? leads Plymouth Argyle out at Wembley, Nh?ng m?u ??ng ?? n? ??p nh?t hi?n na? aiming t? deliver t?i? famous club t?e first Cup ?f its 137-y??r existence.
Hard though it may be to beli?v?, Sporting Director Neil Dewsnip ?ill b? even prouder when he watches t?e scene unfold.
Dewsnip ?as a P.E teacher wh?n Schumacher attended Cardinal Heenan ?n the 1990s (anoth?r notable f?rmer pupil ?as ) and he also oversaw hi? development a? a footballer ?t ‘s Academy, watching him rise captaining England ?t ?v?ry age group from U-16 t? U-19.
?heir relationship h?s remained close ?nd ?hen Schumacher joined Ryan Lowe ?t Plymouth ?n 2019, they had no hesitation ?n calling Dewsnip to assume the role ?f Director ?f Football and guide them ?long t?e way.
Neil Dewsnip (L) and Steven Schumacher ?ave a unique relationship fostered ??er many y?ars
Schumacher ?as led Plymouth to the brink of the Championship – and a Wembley showpiece
Dewsnip ??s – part?y – ?esponsible for Schumacher being appointed Plymouth boss
W?en Lowe moved t? Preston, Dewsnip ?ad no hesitation ?n calling Plymouth owner Simon Hallett t? tell ?im ?is ne?t manager ?as und?r his nose.
‘It’? alm?st unique, th? relationship t?at ?e h?ve got,’ ?ays Schumacher, ?ho has guided Plymouth to the t?p of League ?ne wit? an impressive brand Các lo?i ??ng h? n? cao c?p ?f attacking football.
‘? don’t think there will be another Manager-Director ?f Football relationship ?ike it, anywhere in the leagues.
‘It speaks volumes ?bout Neil – ?orry, “Mr D”! – that so m?ny old pupils are ?ti?l in contact. I th?nk the respect ?e has got from everyone is t?ere f?r a?l to s??. ?e’? been a hu?e ?art of my journey and wi?l b? fo? many mo?? ye?rs to come.’
Dewsnip, who spent six yea?s working at The FA after leaving Everton in 2013, smiles a? he listens to all this.
He h?s be?n a mentor f?r, among ?thers, Gerrard, Wayne Rooney ?nd Karl Robinson and Nh?ng m?u ??ng h? n? ??p nh?t h??n nay t?e significance of t?is occasion is not lost on him.
‘To wo?k with ?im ?hen h? wa? ?ight ?ears ?ld at Everton, to ?e ?is teacher – it’? wonderful to se? ?o many ?oung people ?o s? wel?, he says. ‘Th?r? are no wo?ds, ?eally. B?t both of us will remind each other there is a job to do.
‘I h?ve had ?ome amazing experiences in my life (Dewsnip ??s part of the coaching staff fo? Canada Women’s Olympic Gold medal in Tokyo) b?t y?u alw?ys w?nt the next one.
If he stil? allows me, I’ll be s?t a few rows ?ehind on the bench, t?ying t? offer som? observations.
