Exclusive: Miron Muslic's Plymouth Argyle future addressed | OneFootball

The former midfielder weighs in on Argyle’s relegation battle, Muslic’s future, and whether the Pilgrims can bounce back if they drop to League One.

Plymouth Argyle find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle, currently propping up the Championship table in 24th position.

Six points adrift of safety, the Pilgrims have enjoyed a short renaissance under Miron Muslic in the FA Cup, beating Liverpool and Brentford before ultimately falling short against Manchester City.

However, their league form is still very much that of a relegation team. Muslic’s bounce has omitted the Championship, and three losses and two draws see the south coast side face up an incoming season in League One.

Football League World spoke exclusively to David Prutton on Argyle’s plight and whether or not the Pilgrims will retain the Austrian manager’s services should they drop a division.

Miron Muslic will want to prove himself “even higher in English football”

“Miron Muslic at Plymouth Argyle undoubtedly a charismatic leader of men, the question being - does he possess the personnel to get Plymouth Argyle out of trouble?” Prutton told FLW.

“That will be his real test. We've seen the speeches, we've seen some of the performances, especially against some very, very big teams - but it's about accruing points at Championship level.

“A result against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend which seemed relatively straightforward for the travelling side - so yes, very deep in the relegation mire.

“But I think given the people he's brought in in January, has given them a fighting outside chance of getting out of the bottom three and to safety and I'd be very intrigued, because he strikes me as I said as very charismatic, very genuine when it comes to what he wants with Plymouth Argyle.

"But undoubtedly there will be an ambitious manager there who wants to prove himself at this level and even higher in English football.

“So, I think if Plymouth do go down, it'll be a chat to be had, but they'll be a very, very big football club in League One and we've seen how that can transform itself onto the pitch when they last came up - so I'll be intrigued to see what he can do with a side that is gunning for promotion.”

Plymouth Argyle’s League One prospects

If Plymouth Argyle do find themselves back in League One next season, there’s little doubt that Miron Muslic would be a more than capable manager at that level.

The Austrian’s ability to galvanise a squad has been evident in their remarkable FA Cup run, and if he stays, he would likely have them pushing for an immediate return to the Championship.

However, history suggests that bouncing straight back is anything but straightforward. Birmingham City may be on course for an instant return this season, but their resurgence has been fueled by significant financial investment - something Argyle may not have at their disposal.

Meanwhile, other Championship dropouts Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, and Sunderland have all found League One more of a trap than a stepping stone, spending multiple seasons trying to escape. Others, including Reading, Wigan Athletic, Rotherham, Blackpool, and Barnsley, have failed to reclaim their place in the second tier entirely.

Beyond that, Argyle’s recent track record suggests they thrive as underdogs but struggle when expected to dominate.

Their FA Cup heroics against Premier League sides contrast starkly with previous stumbles when carrying the weight of expectation.