Liverpool FC Forum

[RUSHIE#9]

well i'm not going to believe it until I hear Dave Whelan say it

You could be waiting a while, I hear he's busy until the New Year as support on tour with John Bishop. 

[lakes10]

West Brom to appoint Steve Clarke as head coach in next 24 hours

[lakes10]

West Brom to appoint Steve Clarke as head coach in next 24 hours
Steve Clarke will be appointed head coach at West Bromwich Albion within the next 24 hours.

The 48-year-old left his role at Liverpool on Wednesday, where he was assistant manager before Kenny Dalglish's dismissal in May.

It will be Clarke's first job as head coach after spells on the backroom staff at Newcastle, Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool.

It ends West Brom's month-long search after Roy Hodgson joined England.

Clarke's coaching career
•Newcastle United 1998-1999
•Chelsea 2004-2008
•West Ham 2008-2010
•Liverpool 2011-2012

The former Chelsea assistant had emerged as a leading contender for the West Brom job after his depature from Anfield was confirmed by the League Managers' Association (LMA).

Birmingham's Chris Hughton, Claudio Ranieri, Ray Wilkins and German Ralf Rangnick had also been linked with the role.

Former Chelsea manager Ranieri, 60, had talks before the Italian was appointed Monaco coach on a two-year contract in May.

Ex-Schalke coach Rangnick, 53, also had discussions with a view to taking over at The Hawthorns, while Hughton has been strongly linked with Norwich following Paul Lambert's appointment as Aston Villa manager.

Clarke parted company with Liverpool on "amicable terms", the LMA confirmed on Wednesday.

Last week Liverpool appointed Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers as manager.

Clarke, who was number two to Dalglish, offered his resignation when Dalglish was sacked, but the club rejected it.

He was Dalglish's first major appointment in January 2011, arriving at Anfield after coaching spells at Newcastle, Chelsea and West Ham.

The LMA said that Clarke, who played over 400 games for Chelsea during an 11-year career with the Londoners, was now "looking forward to the next challenge in his career".

It was Hodgson's departure from Liverpool that led to Clarke moving to Anfield alongside Dalglish.

Hodgson steered West Brom to a 10th-placed finish in the Premier League last season.

Among his first tasks will be to try and make goalkeeper Ben Foster's loan move from Birmingham a permanent one, although he is also a target for QPR.

Central defender Jonas Olsson, currently part of Sweden's Euro 2012 squad, also has only a year left of his current deal.

Former Scotland international Clarke worked under Ruud Gullit and Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and Gianfranco Zola at West Ham

[stmichael]

best of luck to him, just not against us.

[Reg]

I can't say I'm upset, you have to conclude his impact at LFC was pretty 'limited' to be polite. Good luck to him.

[Kenny Kan]

I can't say I'm upset, you have to conclude his impact at LFC was pretty 'limited' to be polite. Good luck to him.

Well, the way our defense looked you can hardly call that 'limited' Reg? By all accounts this was his area of expertise and for that IMO he did a decent job. Shame really it all went pete tong up the other end of the pitch - but fickle you are.

[Reg]

No complaint about the defence but we had the players capable of doing the job. Midfield and attack and the inability to score goals are less than high spots of his coahing. We came 8th mate so obviously the coach has to shoulder a large part of the blame. Fickle? I don't think so.

[damjan193]

Wish he could stay, I'm sure that a good partnership could have been formed between him and Rogers. But Rogers thinks otherwise and Clarke had ambitions to be head coach, so I guess everybody is satisfied. Good luck Clarke, you did a good job here.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

By all accounts, soon to be confirmed as the next WBA manager.

If so ..Congratulations Clarkie

[Thommo's perm]

What is it with ex LFC employees and WBA?

[parchpea]

He will be sacked by Christmas

[7_Kewell]

He will be sacked by Christmas

I agree

Sounds like a Sammy Lee situation all over again

[maypaxvobiscum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEDFz7ONllk

Steve Clarke paying tribute to the families of the 96.