With Stoke playing at home against Fleetwood in the League Cup on Tuesday night, Pelach’s appointment to replace Steven Schumacher, who was fired on Monday morning, is expected to be announced within the next 24 hours.
Along with Pelach in the Potteries will be Paul Clements, the goalkeeping coach now employed by Norwich, and Harrison Glew, an opposition analyst who has been with the Canaries since October 2023 but previously collaborated with Pelach at Huddersfield.
In the medium term, internal hires may replace the first team coach and custodian coach that Norwich is now looking for to join Johannes Hoff Thorup’s backroom staff.
In the summer, Thorup hired fellow Dane Glen Riddersholm as his assistant head coach. However, Norwich hired former Brighton set play coach Nick Stanley as a first team and set piece coach when set piece coach Andy Hughes left for Leicester City.
Upon the Dane’s arrival in May 2024, he took over the staff of former head coach David Wagner, which included Pelach and Clements.
After three years at Huddersfield, where he was a key member of Carlos Corberan’s setup team that helped the Terriers make it to the Championship play-off final, Pelach moved to Norfolk in May of 2023.
A few months after going to Carrow Road, the Spaniard made no secret of his own management aspirations in an exclusive interview with the Pinkun.
He stated, “I always say that if I give it my all and my best, then if I don’t achieve, I won’t feel embarrassed, so I’m not afraid to say that (I want to be a head coach).”
“I’ve always stated that my goal is to reach the highest level. I have never had the opportunity to be in a country’s first division, but I would like to do it in England since I moved here four years ago and it felt like home. Both the nation and football appeal to me.
“I don’t have any rules, but I want to be a head coach someday. I’m only thirty-five. I wish to be prepared. I’m curious to find out more. I also want to have fun with this portion.”
The former Norwich defender Ben Gibson, who joined Stoke on a free transfer in the summer, will be a familiar face to Pelach and Clements.
In August, his new team defeated Schumacher’s former team, Plymouth, 1-0, while on the first weekend of the Championship season, his new team defeated Coventry City 1-0. However, their third league loss of the season came the weekend of Oxford.
Only having led Argyle to the second division in December 2023, Schumacher left following the team’s 1-0 loss away to the league this past weekend.
Jon Walters, the sporting director of Stoke, stated on Monday on the team’s official website that a change was warranted.
“As sports director, it is my responsibility to make difficult choices that are in Stoke City’s best long-term interests.
“After continuing conversations with John Coates, we believe that a shift in course is necessary to help the club succeed.
“We hope to announce a new appointment soon. We have a young, dynamic squad that is eager to develop and a clear vision of how to achieve success.” To accomplish our objectives, we will require the combined support of the players, staff, and supporters.
“These are tough decisions, as football is always about, and we wish Steven and his staff the best of luck going forward.”
For Stoke’s League Cup match against Fleetwood on Tuesday night, Alex Morris and Ryan Shawcross will serve as interim managers.
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