Carlos Corberan turning point revealed after West Brom’s ‘massive loss’
West Brom boss Carlos Corberan allowed Michael Hefele to leave the club in the summer and captain Jed Wallace has noted a change.
West Brom captain Jed Wallace has revealed that Carlos Corberan’s approach has changed this season when striking a balance to ensure squad morale remains high and players continue to be motivated and well drilled in their quest for another top six Championship finish.
Wallace, who has only started once this season, detailed the departure of first-team coach Michael Hefele, who was given Corberan’s blessing to explore an opportunity based in Saudi Arabia which had presented itself to him in the summer, as a ‘massive loss’ to the squad. German Hefele had followed Corberan to Albion from Huddersfield Town.
While the more easygoing Hefele balanced out the intense coaching of Corberan, Wallace has seen a change in the Spaniard since his arrival in October 2022, and certainly since the summer when Hefele departed – and it has benefitted the players in the week as they prepare for each match.
“In the summer there was the massive loss – we lost Hef, who brought that laugh, joke, humour to the staff,” Wallace told the 72+ podcast. “With Carlos it is very serious quite a lot of the time. I’ll be honest, I think he has got a lot better since he came in. When we need to have a bit of a laugh and a joke, even when just doing a crossing or finishing drill, that’s something he’s really adapted this season.
“We never did five a sides and things like that. It’s really helped us this season. Sometimes, for the lads who aren’t playing, you’ve gone and done a bit of crossing and finishing rather than doing an hour’s meeting every single day on the opposition, when you know you aren’t going to play.
“I think what has been a massive turning point this season is that he’s been able to engage every single player, from the most important player in the XI, to the lads who aren’t even making the squad. Along with that, we’ve got some fantastic lads in the dressing room like Devante Cole and Paddy McNair who aren’t making the squad.”
