West Brom: 5 Reasons Steve Clarke Is A Big Gamble

4. Commanding The Respect of the Players

As mentioned, Clarke is generally well thought of in the footballing world. Like Hodgson, he likes to focus on getting teams defensively organised and tough to break down, and was credited with bringing some sanity to West Ham€™s back line. No doubt he will impress on the training pitch, but how about in the changing room? Clarke has worked under some interesting managers, including Ruud Gullit, Gianfranco Zola, Kenny Dalglish, and Jose Mourinho. Clarke could not fail to pick up some tips from that lot, but now he will be the sole man responsible for winning or losing. He will be the one dealing with players personal issues. He will have to answer calls from agents. It€™s more than just naming the starting lineup. If he gets off to a good start the West Brom players will be behind him; struggle, and they will think he is not up to the job.