Quick résumé: As a player, Clarke only played for two clubs, but racked up 500+ appearances. To me, this shows dependability & loyalty.
However, his coaching career has been much more varied & flighty. His first job, alongside Ruud Gullit, came during an ill-fated and admittedly, unremarkable stint at St James Park, and indeed, was nothing to write home about.
Then, having been once voted Chelsea’s player of the year, he returned to Stamford Bridge to work with the youth teams, where Jose Mourinho spotted his talent and appointed him First Team Coach. it was an excellent partnership that saw Chelsea claim five trophies in 36 months. The roubles pumped-in by shadow-figure Abramovich made their job so much easier yes, but the Chelsea players did speak highly of Clarke’s coaching methods at the time, and it was during this period that he continued to educate himself by earning his Uefa Pro-License.
Later, when Scolari looked like he simply didn’t have a clue, it was with good reason: He didn’t, and reportedly begged Clarke not to leave West London, but it fell on either deaf or unsympathetic ears, as he moved across town, to West Ham, in an initially promising link-up with Gianfranco Zola. Ultimately it didn’t pan out; except for in his bank-balance...he was the highest-paid Number Two in the league!
Following further detailed research (nb: Wikipedia) of his time spent with Daglish at Hades, he noticeably improved Liverpool’s defence, and his arrival coincided with a points-average of two per game. The fact that he left under a cloud encourages me, as I think he particularly enjoyed seeing his West.Brom side do the double over his former Kopite employers this season.
Unusually for a 49-year old, he’s sitting in his very first managerial position, but the sheer volume of his experience speaks to me. As does the fact that he’s only got 12 months left on a (frankly baffling) two-year contract. It wouldn’t cost the earth to extricate him from it.
As Baggies boss, his team have just earned their record points total in the Premier League, with what is on paper, an unremarkable team. Utilising his Chelsea contacts to bag Lukaku and playing the 20-year old has done wonders for their potency; eighth place in the division, despite a down-turn in performance following the Odemwingie debacle.
In response to the vacancy at Goodison, when Clarke got the question, he did the usual; He fudged. Happy with his current job... they always are, aren’t they?
I judiciously avoided the populist choices on the ToffeeWeb poll, for these reasons:
Laudrup, with a massive, prohibitive buy-out clause, was often accused of lacking hunger as a player...not enough steel or anger, too middle-class, someone who should have become an even-greater legend. Hats-off for the League Cup, sure, but if he came here, I think he’d be the type to do a flit in 2-3 years, and go to Ajax or someone; and anyone who leaves Catalonia to join Real Madrid has to have suspect loyalties...
Martinez - again, a brilliant success last week, and maybe a possibility. I’ve been to the (romantically-named) DW stadium twice, and whilst his side sometimes please the eye with progressive, innovative football, they also serve up plenty of gash – and they simply cannot defend the basics. They’ve shipped 67 league goals this season, and are about to be relegated.
I seriously doubt Kenwright is in the market for a Benitez or Mancini equivalent, so this leaves either a major surprise, or these other candidates:
Malky Mackay: I think this guy is Moyes – 11 years ago.
Mark Hughes: Available, but I’d rather throw-on a pair of concrete slippers and jump in the Mersey.
Roy Keane: Tried too hard to replicate his former manager’s famously spiky style... these days he prefers to sit in the ITV studio offering up snide comments about the English national team. Would end up putting Kenwright through a window and resigning. After an hour.
Neil Lennon: Not sure... seems to be in the Roy Keane managerial mode; a tactically-limited, kick-off merchant.
Harry Redknapp: Good manager, but likes the South too much; has he ever managed a team north of Watford..? Also, I think a distinct lack of financial muscle would dissuade him... this due to our inability to help him trouser lots of transfer commission fees...
Martin Jol: Done well abroad, and like Redknapp, he has experience of the top-five here. But likewise, I can’t see him swapping London for the Grim North..
Martin O’Neill: Too much Red Bull...
So... Steve Clarke... 10 major honours to his name as both player & coach. I humbly submit the notion that we grab him before a returning Mourinho does.
Reader Comments (40)
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2 Posted 14/05/2013 at 20:19:10
3 Posted 14/05/2013 at 20:20:30
4 Posted 14/05/2013 at 20:19:51
5 Posted 14/05/2013 at 20:31:44
He's worked with Mourinho, Gullit, Zola, Scolari, Dalglish and more, and although with the exception of Mourinho no trees have been pulled up, all these well respected individuals have seen something to employ him.
We wouldn't have to worry about him disappearing abroad any time soon like a Laudrup and he isn't going to cost us a fortune.
Definitely no to O'Neill, Hughes, Lennon, Mackay, maybe but unsure about Martinez, open to the idea of Poyet or dare I say it ..................... The Fat Waiter!
6 Posted 14/05/2013 at 21:02:58
We need another man to stay for 5 - 10 years and carry on building a team,
Who? Someone with a record of outperforming his budget for at least 2-3 years
7 Posted 14/05/2013 at 21:12:07
One season as a manager does not convince me he's ready for the Everton job.
8 Posted 14/05/2013 at 21:16:54
9 Posted 14/05/2013 at 21:48:13
10 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:01:39
11 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:10:41
(Sorry for the digression Kevin, I think you do make a good case for Clarke though in the OP).
12 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:10:12
Staggering.
No to Clarke, he doesn't smile enough.
13 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:14:00
March 2014 2 hours after Watford snatch a 92nd minute equalizer at The Old Lady, Doddy treks back home after a few in the Freshy to a nice steaming nose-twitching Lasagne and after 2 generous plates sits down to type:
'Ross Edwards (124), Barry Rathbone (278), couldn't agree with you more lads.
Spring again and it's time for early renewals of season tickets from our mercenary club even though team dishes out shite week-in-and-week out. Well I for one am proud to be COB and in order for us to take a step forward to MUST get rid of crap, chinless, cheerless, colourless, clueless, cautiouss, cowardly, cumbersome, careless, cagey, clumsy, cock-up, cack, chump CLARKE.
14 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:28:11
Love it Doddy (398), I see it now mate.
March 2014 2 hours after Watford snatch a 92nd minute equalizer at The Old Lady, Doddy treks back home after a few in the Freshy to a nice steaming nose-twitching Lasagne and after 2 generous plates sits down to type:
'Ross Edwards (124), Barry Rathbone (278), couldn't agree with you more lads.
Spring again and it's time for early renewals of season tickets from our mercenary club even though the team dishes out shite week-in-and-week out.
Well I for one am proud to be COB and in order for us to take a step forwards we MUST get rid of crap, chinless, cheerless, colourless, clueless, cautiouss, cowardly, cumbersome, careless, cagey, clumsy, cock-up, cack, chump CLARKE.
15 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:29:48
16 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:29:39
As expected, Martinez's odds have shortened a fair bit since the end of tonight's match and, wipes forehead and whistles hopefully, Lennon continues to drift in the opposite direction though just a little today. Phew Stubbs is heading down the same road too.
Breaking news: Jose's odds have been slashed in half today, what whispers, what backroom huddles and rumour-mongering has anyone heard
Roberto Martinez 13/8
Gus Poyet 6/1
Neil Lennon 13/2
Alan Stubbs 12/1
Malky Mackay 16/1
Phil Neville 20/1
Vitor Pereira 20/1
David Weir 25/1
Stuart McCall 33/1
Mark Hughes 33/1
Rafael Benitez 33/1
Michael Laudrup 40/1
Steve Round 100/1
Jose Mourinho 100/1
17 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:39:36
That list is quite depressing. "With the salary on offer and the attraction that is Everton FC there'll be lots of quality applicants...." another MOB myth going up in smoke
18 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:47:46
19 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:53:03
Some seasons, like ours, are still not yet over, so that might have an impact (half of those in the 597 list don't manage right now or are in the EFC backroom)
I wonder if forgive me Kenwright's/the board's lack of backing for Moyes has been duly noted elsewhere and everywhere. There's no doubt that we are seen as a team of constraints and limits and ceilings, as many others, but our bar is rather lower than most (net spends and so on).
Is Kenwright a bad card to play never mind these constraints? Not sure what his standing is like outside the club TBH, but is it the case that perceptions of him are pretty poor.
20 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:53:09
So we might have an Organ Grinder / Monkey situation.
We also suspect that Boys Pen Bill would prefer to pay peanuts. Do we want to go down that road??
21 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:50:51
Good post though, Clarke wouldn't be a disaster.
22 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:59:22
Read own posts before posting.
A lesson for others.
But a really exciting name to capture the imagination, Pereira apart? Possibly Poyet but hmmm
23 Posted 14/05/2013 at 22:59:07
24 Posted 14/05/2013 at 23:06:07
25 Posted 15/05/2013 at 00:12:30
Oh shit! I was having a great dream.
Keep on dreaming! It's good for you. The reality will likely be Phil Neville paired with Round............... yuck!
26 Posted 15/05/2013 at 00:31:38
It was a cunning plan though!
27 Posted 15/05/2013 at 06:04:02
28 Posted 15/05/2013 at 06:26:59
29 Posted 15/05/2013 at 08:47:58
If i'm being honest, none of these touted names inspire me very much. Had hoped that we may have moved on in the last decade but it seems not.
30 Posted 15/05/2013 at 09:11:12
31 Posted 15/05/2013 at 10:06:07
32 Posted 15/05/2013 at 11:51:47
If he joins us, I guess that doesn't...
33 Posted 15/05/2013 at 14:22:10
34 Posted 15/05/2013 at 14:24:45
er...I don't think there is anyone more obvious either. Laudrup is a one season hit so treat with caution. Otherwise Im happy to be convinced of an overseas option playing a spanish stylee.
35 Posted 15/05/2013 at 16:45:14
My first choice was Laudrup but now I can't decide between the two. Pereira does give me the impression that he could be very attacking and ambitious.
Another person not on the poll who I would like is Klopp. I don't know what the chance is of any of these becoming manager but they are who I want; everyone else seems average or unproven.
37 Posted 15/05/2013 at 18:42:12
No because he's worked for them and No because he's just a poor man's Moyes. As change has been forced upon us it's an opportunity to improve surely, not go backwards!
38 Posted 15/05/2013 at 18:52:56
39 Posted 15/05/2013 at 19:18:49
Kenwright now paints things as being wonderful. We should all be delighted at a sixth place finish. Sixth is the new first. As someone who was lucky enough to see the team win in the 1980's I cannot buy into that proposition.
New investment needed and a new staudium to follow, end of storey.
If you look at the list of the managers shown in the betting list above then the "Special one" and the "Unpopular one" are by a distance the most successful!
40 Posted 15/05/2013 at 19:33:56
41 Posted 15/05/2013 at 19:40:02
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1 Posted 14/05/2013 at 19:55:26