Stoke City confirm appointment of Narcis Pelach as new head coach

On Monday morning, the Potters made the surprise announcement that they had parted ways with Steven Schumacher despite sitting in 13th position in the Championship standings.

Schumacher left the bet365 Stadium with 13 victories from his 32 matches in charge, leading to somewhat of a backlash from the club's supporters.

Within minutes of his exit, reports emerged that Norwich City first-team coach Pelach had been identified as the preferred candidate for the job.

Less than two days later, the Spaniard has been revealed as Stoke's next head coach, ending a run of 22 years without a British or Irish coach at the helm.

Walters talks up attracting Pelach to Stoke

Sporting director Jonathan Walters was quick to defend the decision to sack Schumacher on Monday, and the former forward has been equally forthcoming in backing the call to bring in someone in Pelach who is unproven in the senior role in the dugout.

Speaking to the club's official website, he said: "Across the extensive dialogue I've had across football, including at the highest levels of the game, Narcis is one of the most respected and sought-after coaches around. He is exceptionally driven and meticulous and will drive those same standards from everyone around him at the club.

"Having been a head Coach in Spain from the age of 25, it was always something Narcís was going to get back to, and he has been patient about selecting the right opportunity.

"We are delighted that - after talking to John (Coates) and myself - Narcis was excited by the opportunity to represent a club with a talented young squad, a passionate fanbase and ambitious plans for the future.

"There is no doubt in our minds that Narcis will enjoy a successful career as a Head Coach and are excited to give him the opportunity to make that a reality at Stoke City."

What is Pelach's history

After a brief period on the backroom staff at Girona, Pelach made the switch to Huddersfield Town in 2020 as part of Carlos Corberan's backroom staff.

He subsequently spent three years at the John Smith's Stadium, having two brief interim stints in interim charge, before moving to Norwich City in 2023.

The 36-year-old has only been working under Johannes Hoff Thorup at Carrow Road since the summer, but he has seemingly jumped at the chance to move to the Potteries on a three-year contract.

Stoke are back in action as soon as Friday where they will play host to Hull City.