Sheffield Wednesday promotion rivals told not to worry despite West Brom links to impressive boss

League leaders Plymouth have been the stand-out side this season and that’s been in no small part due to the early managerial promise of rookie boss Steven Schumacher.

The 38-year-old took over in charge of Argyle last season following the departure of Ryan Lowe who left to join Preston. After an initial dip in form following the change in management, the Pilgrims rallied and narrowly missed out on the play-off places in their first season back in League One.

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Argyle have used that disappointment to kick on this season – they currently sit top of the division and are on a 10-match unbeaten run, with one of those victories coming against Wednesday at Home Park earlier this month.

The impressive form has drawn attention from higher up the football pyramid and Schumacher has been linked with the vacant West Brom job, following the Baggies’ sacking of ex-Owls boss Steve Bruce.

However, while acknowledging that he has heard the whispers of his name being mentioned regarding the post, Schumacher has insisted that the talk ‘won’t be a distraction’ as he carries on with the job at hand.

"I have seen all of the stuff and I have had loads of people texting me and whatever, but there has been no contact from my side,” he said following Tuesday night’s Papa Johns Trophy win over Crystal Palace U21s. “If there has been an interest from West Brom I think that's great because that shows we are doing something well here. You wouldn't get spoken about if you were sitting down the bottom of the league or mid-table.

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“It just shows the good job that everyone is doing, not just me, that we are getting recognised with these big clubs, and West Brom is a massive club. But there has been no contact and as far as I'm concerned there's probably nothing in it. It won't be a distraction. I understand that this is what happens when the team is playing well and getting good results, sitting top of the league and playing in the style that most clubs would like to see their team play in.

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“Obviously, I'm a young coach as well and that's what people are trying to go for at the moment. People who are hungry and ambitious. “That's exactly what I am, but there is definitely no danger of me being distracted though because I have got a good job to do here, a big job to do.”

Plymouth travel to face Bristol Rovers on Saturday, with the Pilgrims four points ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town.