Steve Clarke

[grandrake]

Interesting interview in The Sunday Times in March 2010:

Steve Clarke: It's time for me to be the guy who makes decisions | West Ham - Times Online

 

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From The Sunday Times

March 14, 2010

 

Steve Clarke: ‘It’s time for me to be the guy who makes decisions’

Steve Clarke has served alongside the very best – now he wants to be a boss in his own right

 

Simon Buckland

 

“This is what I think about Steve Clarke: if, at this moment, he had the chance to manage a club, even a big club like Chelsea, he would be ready for that. He is that good.” — Jose Mourinho

 

Steve Clarke was 23 when he left a Scottish football domestic scene he was “already bored of” by accepting a transfer from St Mirren to Chelsea. The same number of years on, he still hasn’t come back for anything other than family visits. After a long playing career at Chelsea, he went on to assist Ruud Gullit and Sir Bobby Robson at Newcastle before returning to Stamford Bridge to work directly under Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant and, briefly, Luiz Felipe Scolari before accepting his current role as Gianfranco Zola’s deputy at West Ham. Some big names there, but Clarke remains determined to make his own.

 

Having assisted others for so long, Clarke feels the time is approaching to help himself to a manager’s job. It isn’t that he is unhappy at West Ham, where is contracted until 2013, it is just that he won’t be content until he has given being No 1 a go. “It’s the last one to be ticked off,” he says. “I’ve done all the groundwork. I’ve done everything. I’ve been the player, the youth team coach, the European scout, the assistant manager, first-team coach, I’ve worked with a whole spectrum of players, now it’s time for me to be the guy who makes the decisions and takes the stick. To have done so much to get to this stage and not give it a go would be foolish. I have to try it. I just need somebody to give me the opportunity.”

 

In the likes of Mourinho and Gullit he has won friends, but can he influence the people who make these appointments? There have been expressions of interest from third parties before but, as yet, not a single offer to manage a club. Clarke realises he may be seen as just a supporting act, more at ease in the background, but meeting him it is evident he feels wrongly typecast. “I want to be a manager,” he insists. “I want to be the guy who has all the pressure on him, who makes the decisions and leads the group.

 

“It’s always been an ambition. It’s a reason why I left Chelsea. People were thinking, ‘He’s in a comfort zone, no ambition to push himself’, but I came out of that to take the job at West Ham. Franco said he would only take it if I went with him and I just felt the time was right for a change. I could have sat at Chelsea and still be there now, but I didn’t really want that Mr Chelsea image, I wanted to push myself on.

 

“The next step is finding a chairman who’s willing to give me that chance. If you’re asking me, ‘Could I manage a Premier League club?’, I’d have to answer, ‘Yes’. Whether it’s this year, next year, I don’t know. I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to make a decision on it. I’m still waiting for someone to test my resolve. In my strange little plan, this would be my last job as an assistant and the next one I’d want to be manager. If it works out, great, if it doesn’t then maybe I have to make another detour. I’ve got no problem with people judging me as a manager. When I decide to be a manager, I think I’m going to be a good one.”

 

Much of that confidence came from his stint with Mourinho. Clarke was a youth-team coach at Chelsea before the Portuguese promoted him as soon as he met him. When Mourinho left and Chelsea threatened to implode, it was Clarke who stayed and detonated the tension. “I’d be a liar if I didn’t think maybe they could have given the job to me on a temporary basis to see how it went when Jose left,” he admits. “It didn’t happen. They gave it to Avram Grant and it wasn’t easy to continue in what was a turbulent time, but he made sure I was completely involved. It was only under Scolari that I felt isolated.

 

“Jose and Roman [Abramovich] deciding it was time to go their separate ways was a big disappointment, personally, and for the club. They’d have done better to knuckle down, sort it out and try to keep going. Because of the success we had, Jose stands out a mile. As a manager, he was head and shoulders above any other. Working with him gave me the self-belief I could one day be a manager. I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me. It was a professional relationship that developed into a friendship. Now I would count him as one of my friends. I’d like to think he’d count me as one of his.”

 

Clarke’s story begins with a twist of fate. At 15, he was training at Beith Juniors when St Mirren arrived on the wrong date for a friendly. “St Mirren just turned up,” he smiles. “No-one knew they were coming. Beith Juniors didn’t have all their players so they threw me on the wing and advised me not to get kicked.” He did more than that, impressing enough to be invited to training at the Paisley club and later offered S-forms. He then returned to play for Beith Juniors before eventually accepting a part-time contract with St Mirren, allowing him to finish an apprenticeship as an instrument engineer with Beechams Pharmaceuticals in Irvine. “That gave me a feel for reality,” he says. It hasn’t left him, nor will he let it.

 

His transfer to Chelsea was a strange affair. Ken Bates, the then chairman, flew to Glasgow under an assumed name to trump a smaller offer from Celtic and clinched the deal by throwing in a Fridge — Les Fridge, a goalkeeper. Clarke, who prefers to make his decisions on instinct, signed without hesitation. “My wife almost fell off the chair when I phoned her and said I’d signed for Chelsea. She thought I was going to Celtic. We went to London the next day,” recalls Clarke. “Chelsea said I could return and start Monday, but I said, ‘No, I want to play Saturday’. Chelsea when I signed and Chelsea when I left, were like two different clubs. It had the same name, but it wasn’t the same club. I can’t say I’m surprised to have stayed south so long because I’ve never hankered to go back.”

 

While he wouldn’t rule out taking a managerial job in Scotland, a recent return to visit his parents in Saltcoats made him realise the alarming contrast between where he has ended up and where he started. “I went up about a month ago to watch St Mirren versus Dundee United,” says Clarke. “I’d never been to the new St Mirren Park so thought I’d take the chance with a weekend off. I was quite disappointed with the standard. I know it’s a difficult time for everyone, but it seems to be particularly bad in Scotland. I’m looking at the game for young players and don’t see too many that excite me.

 

“One or two have come out, [steven] Fletcher at Burnley has done well, but it’s a very big transition now. Surely somebody somewhere will say, ‘Okay, enough’s enough, let’s find a way to improve the standard’. Maybe the SFA will stand up and say we haven’t got the same quantity so we have to look harder for the quality. There must be people within Scottish football looking to improve the situation. Is it to change the coaching structure at Largs? Is it time to freshen that up and encourage new faces, different people with different ideas? I just felt the game I saw was more disappointing than I thought it would be.

 

“Maybe it was a particuarly poor game, I don’t know. St Mirren are near the bottom, but Dundee United are third. They’ll say, ‘We won the game’, but I expected a little bit more from them. I’m not having a go, it’s just an honest assessment.”

 

In reference to West Ham, Clarke jokingly puts fingers in his ears at the question of whether they are too good to go down. He doesn’t want to hear that. “Since we went to West Ham there’s been turmoil,” he says of his partnership with Zola. “About 10 days after we went in was the start of the downturn for the Icelandic banks. It’s been difficult, but in a strange way enjoyable. For Franco, it’s a job that looks difficult from the outside, but I can tell you from the inside it’s even more difficult. Our friendship is strong. We resolved at the start, ‘No matter what happens, the friendship is first and the professional relationship second’, and we’ve always respected that.”

 

Clarke’s rationale to being an assistant is to challenge the manager in private, but always to back him in public. He maintained that even when Gullit confounded him by dropping Alan Shearer at Newcastle. “Behind closed doors I quite like arguing,” smiles Clarke. “That’s my style as an assistant. If you have two people with the same ideas it doesn’t work.” Clarke’s single game as a manager was August 30, 1999. As caretaker at Newcastle he reintroduced Shearer and another deposed favourite, Rob Lee. Newcastle still lost. A 5-1 drubbing by Manchester United at Old Trafford. He has done more than enough to merit a second attempt somewhere soon.

 

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[Dr Arthur De Sabre]

Could be he's gonna be groomed to be the gaffer himself under Kenny, kick off a new boot room culture with Carragher taking a step into things. He certainly has some of the attributes, added to his apprenticeship, there's not many with that kind of history left in the game. Interesting times ahead.

[Guest The Chimp]

Let's be honest you can never have enough Jocks at Liverpool. Clarke's worked with both Deschamps and Villas Boas before, so that might well tie-in with (or give an indication as to) the path we might well take in any new managerial appoitnment - let's wait and see how the King does first though. I know he's only manager for six months but he's only been here a day. We can reassess all this further down the line.

 

Off topic, but I'd love to see Xavi Valero brought back on to the coaching staff. In fact, it seems a no-brainer to do anything we can to get him back here.

[Roger Hunt]

Off topic, but I'd love to see Xavi Valero brought back on to the coaching staff. In fact, it seems a no-brainer to do anything we can to get him back here.

 

Good minds think the same thing, i was just about to post that myself. We need another GK coach, thankfully Mike Kelly has hopefuly gone but John Acterberg is not good enough, Valero was class.

 

We need a fitness coach also i think, we look so unfit despite bringing in new staff last summer.

[JohnnyH]

So is there a thought out there that Clarke may be a coach and then tak over the managers role in the summer? Surely you'd put him in as a number 2 then as opposed to just a coach?

[coop]

So is there a thought out there that Clarke may be a coach and then tak over the managers role in the summer? Surely you'd put him in as a number 2 then as opposed to just a coach?

 

I think Clarke whilst having a very punchable face is also a very good coach and personally i think he will appointed as just that, a coach.

 

Behind the scenes i can see us during the season building a setup with top people in place ie top CEO etc so that everything is set for the summer for us to spend some cash and the coaches already here.

[WaltonRed]

I think this is a superb move.

 

Kenny will be boss for at least a couple of years if you ask me, Clarke is a top top coach and in a few years he could be ready but for now I think he's just being brough in to be the top coach we need.

 

Who posted the pic of all the other top bosses with football people around him and then Roy had the docs?

 

Thats now changing and i'm made up

[Dave D]

What a pleasant change of mood. The club is getting linked to credible and respected names in important positions. My only concern would be how Kenny would feel about having players bought "for him" by Commoli. I guees it may not be a big issue as Kenny possibly will only have the remainder of this window to get involved in any transfer dealings.

 

All good, a weel ago, a defeat in the Cup to Man Utd might have sent the fans into evn deeper misery, but strangely I feel quite positive about the club today. Not something Ive felt for some while

[Dr Arthur De Sabre]

I would hope, all transfers will be decided via consultation. They agree on areas that need strengthening, commoli scouts them, the management team watch the videos, read the reports, identify targets, then commoli see's what he can bring in with regards to budget etc. And what players need to be moved on the same process occurs, As long as there is consultation between the management team.coaching staff and commoli and the scouting and business side, it could work well. If it is all down to Commoli, then we could have issues, but surely it leaves too much power in one man's hands who is somewhat inexperienced.

[lifetime fan]

This my well have been a Kenny appointment as Clarke was sounded out about coming here as early as April (iirc) last year.

 

I posted about this then and mentioned it to Tony B and Walton Red I believe.

[StevieH]

I would hope, all transfers will be decided via consultation. They agree on areas that need strengthening, commoli scouts them, the management team watch the videos, read the reports, identify targets, then commoli see's what he can bring in with regards to budget etc. And what players need to be moved on the same process occurs, As long as there is consultation between the management team.coaching staff and commoli and the scouting and business side, it could work well. If it is all down to Commoli, then we could have issues, but surely it leaves too much power in one man's hands who is somewhat inexperienced.

 

I've got no problem with Comolli scouting and recommending players providing that others are consulted before we make any commitment ie. the manager, Dalglish, backroom staff etc. I am more concerned that Comolli appears to have the responsibility for identifying and appointing our next manager.

[ritchie]

Is it likely that Clarke is coming in with a view to working under someone else next season (Villas Boas) and is going to be a bit of a spy at the club and amongst the dresing room to assess everything for the next manager?

[zico]

What a pleasant change of mood. The club is getting linked to credible and respected names in important positions. My only concern would be how Kenny would feel about having players bought "for him" by Commoli. I guees it may not be a big issue as Kenny possibly will only have the remainder of this window to get involved in any transfer dealings.

 

All good, a weel ago, a defeat in the Cup to Man Utd might have sent the fans into evn deeper misery, but strangely I feel quite positive about the club today. Not something Ive felt for some while

 

Kenny have been involved with the scouting from what I have heard, and as long as they are on the same page as far as strategy for age and type, I am sure they will agree on the targets as a team...

[kalasoma]

While on the subject of appointments, does anyone know whether Pepe's goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero is available? I know he isn't at Inter anymore.

[Dr Arthur De Sabre]

I've got no problem with Comolli scouting and recommending players providing that others are consulted before we make any commitment ie. the manager, Dalglish, backroom staff etc. I am more concerned that Comolli appears to have the responsibility for identifying and appointing our next manager.

 

Lots of conjecture Stevie, dunno if we'll be deemed worthy to know, I'd imagine they would consult Dalglish as part of any process in looking at a new manager, as well as Commoli, and also football people outside the club, could be completely wrong, but it would make sense with the fact they consulted David Dein, and Parry. I'd suspect at the top level, things are a lot less partisan than amongst the fans.

 

I'm a bit worried about the clamour for Villas Boas, he still somewhat of an unknown quantity, granted he's doing well at Porto, but I think he's a bit too flavour of the month right now. I'd like to see him got through a couple more years with Porto first. If Clarke is to be more involved than just coach, I'd hope he has a good 18 months under Kenny.

 

Deschamps I just don't fucking like the idea of, I can't place why, but not for me. Of course if he does get it, fair play to him, and he'll get full support, but I'm not sure.

[RedinSweden]

This is obviously paving the way for Ruud Gullit.

 

Shekshy football!

[Antynwa]

I like the thought of a group decision. It's logical and won't lead us to signing fucking Poulsen

[WaltonRed]

This my well have been a Kenny appointment as Clarke was sounded out about coming here as early as April (iirc) last year.

 

I posted about this then and mentioned it to Tony B and Walton Red I believe.

 

You did mate. good call

[Antynwa]

I think the sort of movement we are seeing by the new owners just goes to show they mean business.

 

Personally, and I do mean this personally. They have handled this situation brilliantly, and you sense work is being done continuously behind the scenes to get this club back to the top.

[Unrighteous]

Xavi Valero is currently unemployed. Fernando says that Xavi Valero was a huge help on his goal scoring as well, as he scouts upcoming keepers and tells him how they'll react to 1on1 situations and their tendencies.

 

We really should bring him back.

 

 

ARticle from Nando:

 

OE of Liverpool’s big success stories from overseas, Fernando Torres, who netted 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield, has revealed that a lot of his success is down to an unfamiliar source – Liverpool goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero..

 

“We’ve a Spanish goalkeeping coach and he has been a genius at telling me every week exactly what kind of task lies in front of me in the following match,” said Torres.

 

“Nobody has ever worked with me like this before. It’s outstanding. Basically, I know days before the next game exactly the best way to finish a chance against the keeper I’m about to face.

 

"Xavi Valero tells me precisely what each keeper tends to do – stay big, go down early, if they have a preferred side they try to push you to. It’s vital information. I’ve refined the way I take chances as a result.”

[VladimirIlyich]

I too feel FSG are doing a lot of work out of the public eye and putting things in place before announcing anything to the media,like the old Liverpool Way.

 

I do feel a lot more confident now but i always thought things would get a bit worse before they got better.

 

Its why i'm glad Kenny wasnt appointed before the takeover although Hodgson should not have either,but thats the past and I'd rather look to the future.

[Randy Marsh]

Confirmed on .tv and SSN

[vikramhans]

confirmed!

 

on the offal, cant post links!

 

Liverpool FC announced today that Steve Clarke has joined the Club as First Team Coach.

 

Clarke, who played over 500 senior games for St Mirren and Chelsea, also brings with him considerable experience as Assistant Manager at Newcastle United, Chelsea and West Ham United.

 

Reds' boss Kenny Dalglish said: "Steve is a great addition to our backroom team and I'm delighted we've been able to bring him into the Club.

 

"I am looking forward to working with Steve alongside Sammy and our other technical staff."

 

been here for a few years but this is my first post!

[Randy Marsh]

Xavi Valero is currently unemployed. Fernando says that Xavi Valero was a huge help on his goal scoring as well, as he scouts upcoming keepers and tells him how they'll react to 1on1 situations and their tendencies.

 

We really should bring him back.

 

 

ARticle from Nando:

 

OE of Liverpool’s big success stories from overseas, Fernando Torres, who netted 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield, has revealed that a lot of his success is down to an unfamiliar source – Liverpool goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero..

 

“We’ve a Spanish goalkeeping coach and he has been a genius at telling me every week exactly what kind of task lies in front of me in the following match,” said Torres.

 

“Nobody has ever worked with me like this before. It’s outstanding. Basically, I know days before the next game exactly the best way to finish a chance against the keeper I’m about to face.

 

"Xavi Valero tells me precisely what each keeper tends to do – stay big, go down early, if they have a preferred side they try to push you to. It’s vital information. I’ve refined the way I take chances as a result.”

 

I doubt he get's that level of intuition from Kelly and Achterberg. Infact, I'd bet both of my testicles that he doesn't.

[bus24]

Outstanding appointment, especially in relation to some of the defensive debacles we've seen this season. Another piece in the puzzle. Very pleased with this.