New West Brom head coach Steve Clarke plans to use the very best of what he has learned from the likes of Jose Mourinho, Sir Bobby Robson and Kenny Dalglish to be a success at the Hawthorns.
The 48-year-old Scot has signed a two-year contract to become Roy Hodgson's successor and take his first job as a number one after over a decade as an assistant.
"Becoming a head coach in my own right has always been an ambition of mine and I feel I have served my apprenticeship," said Clarke, who has spent 14 years coaching at Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham and most recently Liverpool.
"I've done everything I could as an assistant. I'm delighted West Bromwich Albion have given me the chance to make that progression and I'm determined to make the most of it.
"It's a process I've gone through, with a plan in mind to work as hard as I could alongside some of the best managers and coaches in the world, learning as much as possible from them, before stepping out on my own.
"I've taken something from every manager I've worked with and I've felt ready to make the step up for some time. I look forward to meeting and working with a very talented group of players and aim, with their help, to prove I can be a successful head coach."
Clarke's departure from Anfield was only confirmed on Wednesday, although he had offered his resignation last month when Kenny Dalglish was sacked.
Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace and sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth quickly identified him as the man they wanted to continue the club's development begun by Roberto di Matteo and continued by Hodgson before he left to manage England.
"West Bromwich Albion strikes me as a friendly, really well-organised club with a fantastic structure in place," Clarke added on wba.co.uk. "The chairman and Dan Ashworth did a terrific job in selling the club's project to me and I fully aim to repay the board's faith.
"The team and supporters have had some good times in recent years and, with their help, I would like to think those good times can continue following my appointment. I know from past visits to the Hawthorns how well the supporters back the team and joining a club of such stature is a real honour. I can't wait to get started."
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sid do one ya inbred fukwit yak yak
a good strong positive welcome from everyone then
He more likely learnt how not to do things from Dalglish, buying poor players at an inflated price and the stupid handling of the Suarez racist issue, taking the club backwards and finishing 8th cost Dalglish his job. I'm pretty sure Clarke would not emulate the way Dalglish manages.As for the likes of Jose Mourinho and Sir Bobby Robson these two deserve respect and you cannot say the same about Dalglish who left Liverpool the most hated racist club in world football and over £100m poorer. Yak! yak! yak!
HA HA HA lmfao ,how on earth can you mention Kenny Dalglish alongside those two GREAT managers ! Clarke has forgotten more than Dalglish ever knew ! another case of over rating the liverpool connection !
If he's good enough, that's all that needs to be said !!! is he the new generation, it's got to start somewhere.
From Jose he has learnt how you need 200 million to shape your team, from Bobby Robson he learnt how to wear a tracksuit, and from dalglish he has learnt how to hit the post.
next on the fans minds will be ....who are we going to attract to the club ? who do we think we need ? as i wonder if we will get Foster .... or will we go cheap for Jussalinnen ? need another central defender as i am not sure Olson wants to stay ...and will they come due to the new coach ?
Barry your a plonker, sorry mate, we all have the answers, yes me included, but the way i see it is the Albion have appointed a head coach, i read into that, as someone who works at the grass roots of the game, and someone who is highly qualified at the grass roots of the game, not a figurehead, not a good interviewee, but someone who is passionate about the game. It strikes me that upto now he has a 1st class CV. When we see people like Peter Reid on Tele, the so called expert pundit, what a joke, but some club will take him on, and give him another chance. Peter Reid, was dissmissed or whatever from Leeds, Sunderland and a few more clubs, and in the process was paid out MILLIONS OF POUNDS, and the clubs were left in total dissaray. Perhaps for you Barry we should have appointed either Bruce or Macarthy both well known both managed Sunderland both still out of work. I started by saying we all have the answers (i don't think so), we Baggies are different, maybe unconventional, but he just might be the ANSWER we're all looking for. (keep smiling) :-)
lets hope the fixtures will be kind as we do not usually get the right games first, though sometimes better to play the top 5 in the first month, but be nice to have one or two other matches to look forward to, not like weve got wolves to help us with points this season ... fingers crossed Peace spends his money on big wage contracts to retain our better players
yes he is going to be rated on results that's without a doubt, many fans will hope he is the right choice, it either works or doesn't, simple really, its a risk, and could be a mistake, time will tell, and there are those layers out there coming out about leaving, who knows only they and their agents and their bank balances of contracts or future contract payments ... cannot understand why the female ? was so down on what you stated , as that have been in the papers about those players, guess some like the sound of their voice lol
i KNOW WHO Mr Clarke is as a soccer supporter in EXCESS of 60 years ! so stop trying to bully other fans opinions of what some players WILL BE thinking I cannot of course talk about HOW MUCH the owner will throw at a player to keep him there .. namely Olson and maybe Morrison as i recall Morrison stated the club LACKED ambition ! WAS Clarke in the LONG list of candidates they've been monitoring for the last 18 months, i think the answer will be a resounding NO, ONLY he appeared ONCE he left his anfield post available for nowt HE WILL be rated on results and results ALONE, so good luck in his first few games most times a GOOD number 2 NEVER makes a good number 1 !!! he is UNTRIED AT THAT LEVEL WE all HAVE OUR FREEDOM of speech and just cos you do not agree doesn't mean everyone else will disagree with fans points of view !
Just because your brain power does not allow you to understand who Steve Clark is, that does not mean the rest of the people associated with West Brom will follow your retarded example Fred. Go back to sleep. No one from West Brom will be asking to move anywhere. Ever heard of the idea of giving someone a chance before you chat bab like you do?
...and HOW many players will be asking .....'who is he' ? and how many will now be saying to their agents, find me a NEW club ? As so far Olson, Odemwingie and Mulumbu have all asked about moving Bet even Mozza will ask to move on or refuse an extended contract
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