Wh?n Steven Schumacher ?as a pupil at Cardinal Heenan ?igh School in , he gave the answ?r that al? littl? boys do ?uring talks ?bout careers.
‘Sir, ? ?ant to b? a footballer and play ?t Wembley’ is s?id in countless classrooms acro?s the city, eve?? day of t?e week, ?ut never in Schumacher’s wildest dreams ?ould he have envisaged sharing the biggest d?y of h?s professional life wit? hi? teacher by his s?de.
Schumacher ?ill be bursting w?th pride ?n Sund?y when he leads Plymouth Argyle ?ut at Wembley, Các lo?i ??ng h? ?eo tay n? chính hãng aiming t? deliver this famous club t?? f?rst Cup of its 137-year existence.
?ard th?ugh it may be to believ?, Sporting Director Neil Dewsnip ?ill ?e ev?n prouder w?en he watches t?? scene unfold.
Dewsnip was a P.E teacher ?hen Schumacher attended Cardinal Heenan ?n t?e 1990s (?nother notable f?rmer pupil was ) and he ?lso oversaw ?is development as a footballer ?t ‘s Academy, watching ?im rise captaining England at eve?y age gr??? from U-16 to U-19.
Their relationship has remained close ?nd w?en Schumacher joined Ryan Lowe ?t Plymouth in 2019, they had no hesitation in calling Dewsnip t? assume th? role ?f Director of Football and guide th?m along th? ?ay.
Neil Dewsnip (L) and Steven Schumacher ?ave a unique relationship fostered o?e? m?ny years
Schumacher ?as led Plymouth t? the brink of t?e Championship – ?nd a Wembley showpiece
Dewsnip ??s – part?? – r?sponsible for Schumacher being appointed Plymouth boss
?hen Lowe moved t? Preston, Dewsnip ?ad no hesitation in calling Plymouth owner Simon Hallett t? t?ll him his next manager w?s under h?s nose.
‘It’s ?lmost unique, t?e relationship t?at ?? hav? got,’ ?ays Schumacher, ??? ?as guided Plymouth to t?e top of League One wit? ?n impressive brand ?f attacking football.
‘? don’t think there will ?e anoth?r Manager-Director of Football relationship ?ike it, anyw?ere in the leagues.
‘It speaks volumes ?bout Neil – ?orry, “Mr D”! – that so many ?ld pupils ??e sti?l in contact. I think the respect h? h?? got from e?eryone is the?e for all to see. He’s been a h??e part of my journey and will be fo? many m?re years to c?me.’
Dewsnip, ?ho spent six years working at The FA after leaving Everton ?n 2013, smiles as he listens to al? this.
He ?as been a mentor f?r, ?mong ?thers, Gerrard, Wayne Rooney ?nd Karl Robinson ?nd the significance of t?i? occasion is not lost on h?m.
‘T? work ?ith him w?en he wa? eight yea?s o?d at Everton, Các lo?i ??ng h? ?eo tay n? chính hãng to be ?is teacher – ?t’? wonderful to see so m?ny yo?ng people do so well, ?e sa??. ‘?he?e are no wo?ds, really. ?ut both ?f us will remind ea?h othe? t?ere is ? job to do.
‘I h?v? had som? amazing experiences in my life (Dewsnip was ?art of the coaching staff f?r Canada Women’? Olympic Gold medal ?n Tokyo) ?ut yo? alw?ys want the ne?t one.
?f h? still ?llows me, I’ll be sat a f?w rows behind ?n the bench, trying t? offer ?ome observations.’
The benefit of hav?ng ? wise, old head on hand is something Schumacher cherishes ?ut it’s c?ear to see t?at, ?nlike in the school gym, h? i? now not worried a?out giv?ng ?n ?nswer ?ack w??n Dewsnip talks.
