Stoke City were admirers of Reading boss Ruben Selles before deciding to appoint Narcis Pelach according to Darren Witcoop.
Stoke City raised eyebrows when they sacked Steven Schumacher earlier this season, and it didn’t take long for the Potters to name his replacement.
They swooped on Championship rivals Norwich City for Narcis Pelach, who was working as a first-team coach at Carrow Road. He had only ever managed at senior level in the lower leagues of Spain but gained his experience in a range of coaching roles beforehand.
stoke city, Stoke City eyed 41-year-old boss before Narcis Pelach appointment
Image courtesy of: JASON CAIRNDUFF/REUTERS.
He’s since overseen only three wins in 13 Championship games, with the Staffordshire outfit one of many second-tier sides drawing frequently. The other 10 games have seen them draw six and lose four, so the jury is still out on the Spaniard.
Now, it has emerged Pelach wasn’t the only Spanish boss on the radar as a potential Schumacher heir.
Stoke City were strong admirers of Reading boss Ruben Selles, according to Darren Witcoop. The 41-year-old has impressed in tough circumstances with the crisis club, with Witcoop echoing recent claims that Selles is on the radars of managerless duo Hull City and Cardiff City.
Hull and Cardiff among the clubs keen on Reading boss Ruben Selles. Understand that Stoke were also a big fan of Selles before opting to appoint Narcis Pelach in September. #hcafc #scfc #ccfc #readingfc
— Darren Witcoop (@DarrenOWitcoop) December 3, 2024
Selles has been in charge of the Royals since last summer and has them sat 7th in League One.
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Logical interest
It’s only wise that Stoke City had other options on their radar when looking to replace Schumacher earlier this season.
The swiftness of Pelach’s appointment would suggest he was the top target, or at the very least one of the priorities. However, Selles would have been a solid contender given his work with Reading.
stoke city, Stoke City eyed 41-year-old boss before Narcis Pelach appointment
Image courtesy of: ANDREW BOYERS/REUTERS.
The former Southampton caretaker boss has been lauded for making the most of a pretty dire situation, having to work with academy players and free agents for the most part due to continued ownership wrangles in Berkshire.
Such work definitely warrants interest from higher leagues, so it’s not a surprise that Selles has also been linked with the jobs at Hull City and Cardiff City.
Kicking on with Pelach
The jury might still be out on Pelach but the message from the Stoke City management and board implies they will be taking a more long-term view than they have in recent years.
That said, the frequent false dawns at the Bet365 Stadium means fans will have to see it to believe it. High expectations have been set before and the Potters have failed to deliver ever since they dropped out the Premier League.
However, with the help of sporting director Jonathan Walters, Pelach is hoping to lead a brighter new chapter at Stoke City. He’ll need to find more results than he has been though with the Potters remaining in mid-table obscurity.
