Eight years ago, Steven Schumacher was coaching Everton’s Under-11 side. Now, he is preparing to lead Wanderers into the Championship after a seven-year exile.
A lifelong supporter of the Toffees, Schumacher began his playing career in the Academy set-up at Goodison Park.
Although he didn’t make a first team appearance, the Liverpudlian went on to have a solid career in the EFL with the likes of Bradford City, Crewe Alexandra and Bury.
After hanging up his boots, Schumacher returned to the Everton Academy but this time in a coaching capacity.
It was a role that he enjoyed, but eventually the 42-year-old had to make the tough choice to step away and pursue his goals in the men’s game.
Schumacher had success as Ryan Lowe’s number two at Bury and Plymouth Argyle. His first chance as the main man in the dugout came when Lowe left Home Park to join Preston North End in 2021.
Steven Schumacher in action for Bradford CitySchumacher was let go by Everton as a youngster (Image: PA)
The following season, the Pilgrims clinched the League One title with a remarkable 101 points despite competition from the likes of Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday.
A spell at Stoke City followed, and now Schumacher has unfinished business in the Championship after winning promotion again with Wanderers.
But first, the pre-season brings a reunion with the Toffees at the Toughsheet Stadium as Bolton test themselves against top flight opposition.
“I'm looking forward to it,” Schumacher told The Bolton News. “I'm inundated with ticket requests, obviously all the Wanderers and Everton fans!
“It'll be a really good game, a tough test against top Premier League opposition who will test us in all departments.
“We have to rest up, get back into work on Thursday and really start nailing down what the tactical elements of that game are going to be.
“If we're not 100 per cent at it, if we make errors, as many as we did (at Oldham), then we'll get punished against better opposition. We are looking forward to it.”
Schumacher has come a long way in a short space of time since heading into coaching, and he is grateful for his start in the Academy set-up.
“That was eight years ago, I was the Under-11s manager and I really enjoyed it. I had just started my coaching journey and was learning,” he recalled.
“I'm still in regular contact with a lot of people who were there back then. I made the decision to step away and go back into first-team football.
“I always had one eye on it - one day, who knows, could you be a head coach and a manager yourself? And I have managed to do that.
“I loved my time there as a player, I loved my time there as a coach. I'm obviously a big Everton fan, so I'm looking forward to the game.”
Everton boss David Moyes ahead of kick-offLong-serving Everton boss David Moyes (Image: PA)
Standing in the dugout across from David Moyes will be another full circle moment for Schumacher this weekend.
Moyes was in charge of the Toffees when Schumacher was let go as a youngster. At the time, it was a tough spell but now he looks back at it with a completely different perspective as a head coach.
“I’ve spoken to him loads of times in the years since I've left. He's obviously one of the most experienced managers that you could ever come across,” said the Bolton boss.
“Anything that he's got to say to you, little words of advice… The last time I saw him was at the Scotland Ivory Coast game and we had a good chat then.
“He said he's somebody you can only wish to emulate because the amount of games at the top level that he's coached.
“I'm looking forward to seeing him and all of the coaching staff on Saturday. We will welcome them in but obviously we're trying to do a good job against them as well.”
Saturday’s game is the toughest test yet of pre-season as Wanderers aim to sharpen up for the Championship opener against Preston North End on Saturday, August 15.
The trip to DAC 1904 last week was challenging, with the hosts much further along their summer preparations, and there were plenty of positives to take from the display at Oldham Athletic on Tuesday night.
There is also a trip to Fleetwood Town, another of Schumacher’s former clubs, next week before pre-season wraps up against NAC Breda, who were playing in the Dutch top flight last term.