Former Chelsea and Liverpool assistant Steve Clarke has agreed to become new head coach at West Bromwich Albion.
The transition of an assistant manager – a number two – to a number one – can be a treacherous one, but also glorious.
Notable successes include Jose Mourinho, the late Sir Bobby Robson’s former assistant at Barcelona, and Roberto di Matteo going from Chelsea number two to Champions League winning manager within a matter of months.
Failures though are too many to count, Brian Kidd at Blackburn, Terry Connor at Wolves, and Ricky Sbragia at Sunderland stick out as examples, while Steve McClaren could be best described as having mixed success as a manager despite winning the league in Holland with Twente.
Steve Clarke will be looking to follow in the footsteps of his former number one, Jose Mourinho by being viewed as a success, and at 48 the time is certainly right for him to become his own man.
It could be argued he should have done it sooner, he spent four years at Chelsea between 2004 and 2008, largely successful, helping the club to two Premier League titles, and three domestic cups.
Since then he has worked with Gianfranco Zola at West Ham, and Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. Neither stint could be considered successes by any stretch.
Clarke, a man considered integral to Mourinho’s success, must equally shoulder the blame for those disappointments every much as he receives the praise for his influence at Chelsea.
Therefore, a new boss coming in without any real success for around five years, since Mourinho left Chelsea, will have a big point to prove. Clarke is highly rated in football circles, but he must now go and prove why.
There are reasons why West Brom is in fact the perfect club for him to cut his teeth as a number one in football management.
Their set up is quite unique at the top level in English football, and without controversy too. First off, Clarke will not be the West Brom manager, instead the Head Coach.
What’s the difference? Simple. Clarke will take care of the coaching at the training ground, while another man Dan Ashworth will look after scouting, player acqusition, the academy, and liaising closely with the board.
In essence Clarke’s role will be on the training ground and working closely with the players without distraction, continuing to take charge on matchdays. It will be the perfect place for him to improve and learn new skills while not being overwhelmed with new tasks.
Ashworth worked with Di Matteo and Hodgson, so the set up is not new for West Brom, in fact it is tried and tested.
And it may just become the reason why Clarke goes onto be a success with the Baggies, and put an immensely disappointing season with Liverpool firmly behind him.
Is Clarke the right man for West Brom? Are you pleased with the appointment?
image: © hisgett
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