Stoke City: Potters boss Steven Schumacher shuns style for substance in Championship survival fight
- Published
Stoke's win at Preston ended a run of four successive Championship away defeats for Steven Schumacher's Potters
Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher says he does not mind abandoning his footballing principles if it secures Championship survival for the Potters.
Schumacher has endured a mixed time since succeeding Alex Neil in December and Stoke slipped into the bottom three last month after six defeats in seven.
But two wins in three matches since have lifted them back up to 19th.
"We're out of the relegation zone which gives everybody a bit of a lift," Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke.
"The football hasn't been exactly how we wanted it over the last three games, we haven't played out from the back [as much].
"But I'm not bothered about that, I just want to get points."
At previous club Plymouth, Schumacher's Pilgrims were renowned for an attacking, free-scoring style but the 39-year-old admitted he has had to temper that philosophy in his new surroundings.
And he's been rewarded with victories over Middlesbrough and Preston - where the Potters scored a late winner on Saturday - to edge three points above the bottom three.
"What I am really pleased about is that, in the last three games in particular, we are going until the very last minute," Schumacher added.
"That wasn't the case when we first came in - the facts and the data were there, we didn't score from 75 minutes to 90, and now we look as though we can.
"There's also been a realisation from myself: 'What are we actually really good at?' And we're a physical type of team.
"Before I came here, the defensive record was actually quite good, but we didn't create or score enough goals, which was the problem, so we tried to address that.
"We did create loads of chances in our opening games here, and we were a bit more free-flowing, but then results went against us and confidence dipped.
"So I've sort of got back to 'all right, what are Stoke really good at?' and it is being physical and being committed.
"The last three games we've looked like a team who are willing for a fight, and that's what we are going to need - there are nine games to go now, and there's still going to be more fights where we are going to need to stand up and be counted."