Narcis Pelach’s Stoke City backroom team in full CVs and decisions explained.
It is a new-look dug out at Stoke City as Narcis Pelach settles in as head coach.
Narcis Pelach has brought three new members of backroom staff with him at Stoke City as he sets about trying to make an impact as head coach.
Pelach was officially unveiled on Wednesday last week as the man tasked with bringing success back to the bet365 Stadium, having built his reputation as a coach over the last four years with Huddersfield Town and Norwich City. The 36-year-old started his coaching journey back home in Catalonia and is believed to have been wanted by clubs in the Premier League and Bundesliga during the summer, instead waiting for the opportunity to strike out as a boss in his own right.
He has been joined by two colleagues from Huddersfield and Norwich and a familiar face to Stoke supporters while three highly-regarded members of Stoke’s backroom staff have stayed for significant roles in the new regime, including a coach that was in the Steven Schumacher party that arrived from Plymouth Argyle last December.
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We have the opportunity here to recap the decisions over the last few days that have reshaped life at Clayton Wood for the senior squad.
Out: Steven Schumacher (head coach), Chris Cohen (assistant head coach), Mark Hughes (assistant head coach), Peter Cavanagh (first team coach), Elliot Turner (head of performance)
Previous roles: Middlesbrough academy goalkeeper coach, Wolves head academy goalkeeper coach, Huddersfield Town goalkeeper coach, Norwich City goalkeeper coach
What they’ve said:
Angus Gunn told the Pink Un: “He’s definitely taken my game to the next level. We work really hard during the week. At times last season it felt like the games were, not easy, but natural because of the work that we’d done during the week. He always prepares us for the opposition that we’re going to face and I think that detail has made it a lot easier for me to go into the games and feel that confidence.”
Leigh Bromby told the Norwich press: “I think it’s a big loss (for Norwich). You look at Angus Gunn and he says it’s the best he’s played in his career. I’ve watched him, and it is. I think it’s one of the most important positions in the team, because we all know goalkeepers can win you so many points. He did it with Lee Nicholls at Huddersfield, and he’s done it with Gunn at Norwich. It will have an impact. The players will love Paul and trust him. Trying to replace that is difficult.”
He added: “I had coached with him since the academy (at Huddersfield), so I was with him for 10 years. He’s the best coach, goalkeeper or otherwise, that I’ve worked with. We were really lucky to have him. It’s not just the goalkeeper coaching either, he’s got other attributes and skills that help around the first team as well. For me he’s the best in the country.
“Clem was really loyal to me when I was at Huddersfield. Stuart Webber brought him to Norwich, really valued him and thought he was good, and Stu knows what good looks like. He’s a top coach, a really good guy, and I’m sure he’ll make it a success at Stoke.”
Narcis Pelach: “Paul Clements represents hard work. He’s had to fight a lot to get to where he is in the goalkeeping position today. He’s a hungry man, which is one of the things I love about him. He wants more. He wants to work in the Premier League, he wants to work in the Champions League. He dreams. It is something that gives me a lot of energy.”
