The loss marked Stoke’s third league defeat of the season, leaving the team sitting 13th in the standings with only two wins from their opening five matches.
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Schumacher, 40, had only been in charge for nine months, having taken over from Alex Neil in December after leaving Plymouth Argyle. His dismissal concludes a brief spell that saw Stoke finish 17th last season, six points above the relegation zone.
Sporting director Jon Walters explained the decision was made in the “long-term interests” of the club. “These decisions are never easy, but they are part of football,” Walters said.
Former Crewe manager Alex Morris and Stoke legend Ryan Shawcross, now coaching the club’s under-21 team, will take over on a caretaker basis. They are set to lead the team in Tuesday’s EFL Cup clash against Fleetwood Town.
The defeat at Oxford came immediately after the international break, interrupting a positive run that included back-to-back wins. Prior to the loss, Schumacher had guided the Potters to a 3-1 victory against his old club Plymouth Argyle and a dominant 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Middlesbrough in late August.
Despite a promising start, Stoke’s other league defeats this season came at the hands of strong sides in West Bromwich Albion and Watford, currently first and fifth in the table, respectively.
Schumacher had become the club’s sixth manager in six years when appointed, with Stoke just three points clear of the relegation zone at the time. Upon his arrival, chairman John Coates hailed him as “one of the most exciting young coaches in the country.”
“We have a young, dynamic squad that is eager to develop and a clear vision of how to achieve success, and we hope to announce a new appointment shortly,” Walters continued.
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