Lewis Koumas opens up on his four Stoke City managers and a goal his old man would be proud of
Lewis Koumas has revealed he is ahead of his time on loan at Stoke City… but is delighted that the “shock” move came to pass.
The 19-year-old Liverpool player arrived at the bet365 Stadium in the summer on a season-long loan and is already into his fourth Stoke manager if you include caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross.
But Koumas has taken it all in his stride as he has proved to be one of the Potters’ better players this term, making 26 league appearances chiefly as a wide player and bagging three goals.
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Ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Portsmouth (7.45pm kick-off), the youngster has explained how a move to Stoke was not in the plans for this season.
He told Sky Sports: "I wasn't to go on loan until maybe January or the next summer. It was a bit of a shock. I'd signed a new long-term deal with Liverpool and it was suddenly, 'Stoke want you to go in the morning'. And I was just out the door and over here straight away.
“I was lucky the opportunity arose, and then I just came here to try and do my best. I felt like I could do it, no matter how old I was or what experience I had. I know what I'm capable of, so it was just about going and showing it."
Koumas arrived at Stoke with Steven Schumacher in charge, but by September the head coach had gone to be replaced by caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross. Then in came Narcis Pelach, but he only lasted three months as Stoke boss before he too was fired, followed by another brief spell with Shawcross in charge before Mark Robins was appointed.
But Koumas has held his place regardless of the manager in a side struggling near the wrong end of the table, and adds: "I feel like I've coped really well. It's been a big step up, but I'm really enjoying it."
Dad Jason Koumas, a cult hero in his time at both Tranmere Rovers and then West Brom, has had a big influence on his son’s career - including during his time at Stoke.
Koumas junior explained: "It was more my granddad when I was a kid, who I first kicked a ball with and went to the park with. My dad took over in the more serious stages. Before then he just wanted me to have fun as a kid. But now every single day, and after every game, I've got questions for him.
"He's always trying to improve me and obviously I'm fortunate to have him because he was such a good player and he can share his experience with me. It is tougher to be the kind of player he was in today's game. He was a street footballer type and it's rarer to see that in this day and age."
For that reason, the youngster’s choice of his favourite goal for Stoke is perhaps not as much of a surprise as some might think.
An acrobatic effort against Bristol City was arguably the most spectacular, but it isn't his favourite, as he explains. "A lot of people would expect me to say that (the goal against Bristol City), but my favourite one was Sunderland away. My dad scored at the same ground in the same corner to promote West Brom, so for that it was pretty special."
