Disaster” – Jon Walters questioned for Stoke City actions
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Stoke City appointed former forward Jon Walters as their permanent sporting director in April 2024.
He had been in the role on an interim basis for a couple of months, before landing the job permanently.
It’s been a turbulent year since, with Walters already on his third permanent head coach since being appointed to the role.
We asked our Stoke Fan Pundit, David Proudlove, for his thoughts on Walters’ tenure so far.
Speaking to Football League World, David said: “I really think the jury’s out when it comes to Jon Walters.
“Obviously, he was a hero here as a player, but he’s come into the role with next to no experience.
“So far, he’s made a hash of the Schumacher situation, allowed the construction of a new squad and then immediately gets rid of the head coach after the window shuts.
“And the appointment of Pelach was a disaster. So yeah, I think: jury’s out at best.”
The next few months are huge for Walters, but Robins call’s a positive
A turbulent year in the dugout has been replicated on the pitch, with the Potters still too close to the relegation zone for comfort, just five points ahead of Plymouth Argyle in 22nd.
Stoke dropping back into the third tier for the first time in over 20 years, following substantial stints in the Premier League and Championship, would undoubtedly be a blemish on Walters’ post-playing CV.
It’s also been mixed at best in terms of transfers over the best year, with cash splashed on the likes of Bosun Lawal yet to bring rewards.
However, there are signs of promise in Walters’ capture of Mark Robins.
His first managerial appointment, Narcis Pelach, was one slightly out of leftfield, arriving with barely any senior managerial experience outside of the lower leagues in Spain.
A points-per-game average of 0.84 while with Stoke suggests he wasn’t quite ready for the hot seat, but Walters has learned from that mistake.
Pulling the trigger at the end of December gave the next incoming manager enough time to turn things around, and, in Mark Robins, he went for a manager with years of experience at the level with the likes of Coventry City.
It’s important that Walters and the Potters throw everything at remaining in the second tier, as clubs like Sunderland show it can be a long road back when a club makes that drop.
| Championship standings, correct as of 26 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 34 | -13 | 39 |
| 18 | Oxford United | 34 | -15 | 38 |
| 19 | Cardiff City | 34 | -18 | 36 |
| 20 | Stoke City | 34 | -13 | 35 |
| 21 | Hull City | 34 | -11 | 33 |
| 22 | Plymouth Argyle | 34 | -32 | 30 |
| 23 | Derby County | 34 | -14 | 29 |
| 24 | Luton Town | 34 | -24 | 28 |
Walters made 271 appearances for Stoke as a player, scoring 62 goals and providing 26 assists, so has a strong legacy at the bet365 Stadium, but that reputation will only take him so far.
Even a club legend like Walters would struggle to weather the storm that a relegation to the third tier would bring, as fans can only judge him in his current role based on the job he’s done over the past year.
His status at the club might buy him a little more forgiveness than the average person off the street, but make no mistake, fans like David will not simply give him a free ride.
It’s a huge few months for Walters, a period that could dictate where his post-playing career goes next.
