Skip over video

Steve Clarke’s appointment as head coach at West Bromich Albion has seen him trade up from being assistant manager at Liverpool. The 48 year-old claims it’s always been an ambition of his to be the gaffer, rather than a No 2, but former footballer turned journalist Adrian Clarke has his doubts that the Baggies have gone for the right man.

“The question I would ask is does he have the personality to be the manager?” he says of West Brom’s boss. “Some people are just suited to being a coach, being that middle man, the buffer between the players and the manager.

“[But] to be a proper football manager you need to have a complex personality, you need to be a psychologist, you need to know how to deal with people. Steve Clarke hasn’t got experience of that to date, in the hot seat. And I’ll be fascinated to see how he copes with it, I have my doubts. I don’t think West Brom have made the best appointment they could have done.”

But Adrian dismisses any notion that as a head coach Clarke wouldn’t enjoy the same level of authority at the club as a manager, pointing out that Roy Hodgson, the previous incumbent, was also a head coach before taking over the England job.

“Roy Hodgson was head coach, it’s just the way that the club is set up [with a director of football]. Steve Clarke is the first-team manager, he’s in charge of team affairs, selection, etc. He is the gaffer and the players will see him as that.”

Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the image play button above. 

Related articles: 

Video: Fellaini to Liverpool, Hammers want Anelka, Mulumbu to Toon?

Football Agent 46: Rodgers the key mover in the managerial merry-go-round

Video: Roy Hodgson – the “sensible” choice to manage England 

Follow Life’s A Pitch on Twitter @BTLifesapitch