Plymouth Argyle boss breaks silence on Sunderland head coach links and drops hint on his future

Steven Schumacher has been linked with the head coach vacancy at Sunderland but insists he is no rush at Plymouth Argyle.

Schumacher was established as one of the bookies' favourites shortly after Tony Mowbray's departure on Monday night, though his odds have since somewhat drifted.

The Plymouth boss does most certainly have admirers at Sunderland, having overachieved significantly in his time in charge at Home Park - doing so with an ultra-attacking playing style.

Schumacher is under contract until the end of the 2027 campaign, meaning the Black Cats would have to pay significant compensation should they make a move.

At this stage it is not yet clear whether Sunderland intend to purse Schumacher. They are working through a process to establish their preferred candidate, with most expecting the club hierarchy to ultimately look abroad for the next head coach.

Reims boss Will Still is a candidate of interest, though he too would require a significant compensation fee, while reports in Sweden have said that Kim Hellberg is set to meet the club on Thursday.

In his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Schumacher said that he had not heard of any significant interest from Wearside.

"It has happened before," he told Plymouth Live of the links.

"I tend not to get involved in it, if I'm dead honest. I speak to my agent and say 'Don't bother me until you need to' and he doesn't. It doesn't affect me one little bit so, no, I'm not aware of anything. My mates who live around here who are Argyle fans know better. They text my missus instead and she rings me and says 'What's all this?'

"It's part and parcel of it, you sort of get used to it, and as I have said before it's a good thing because it shows you are doing something right."

"If the fans don't want you to go that shows you are doing something right. In general, I think everybody understands there is going to be a time in the future where a club comes along and I feel as though it might be the right opportunity, if we are still doing really well.

"I might get sacked here if you aren't doing really well, so it's just one of them," he added.

"I think most football fans would understand that. When the right opportunity comes I will know and we will get that sense, but at this moment in time I'm in the perfect place. I'm learning all the time, I'm making mistakes, I'm getting better at making decisions and tactically getting better.

"I feel as though this league is testing us all the time, which is what we wanted. It's what we expected. All of us as a staff are learning so it's brilliant. I'm still only young. I have been a manager for two years, there is no rush for me to move anywhere. I'm in a brilliant place."

Plymouth's last two home wins, including against Sunderland, have lifted them into midtable and six points clear of the relegation zone.