West Brom manager Carlos Corberan owes a lot to Sunderland’s Jack Clarke.
“I stayed in Leeds, met my wife, and now have two beautiful children, and it all started with Jack Clarke. Imagine how significant he has been!”
Carlos Corberan and Sunderland star winger Jack Clarke have a long history together, and their narrative is unlike any other coach and footballer’s.
Indeed, according to the Spaniard, if it hadn’t been for conversations with Clarke and his father at Leeds, as well as a chance meeting with then-owner Andrea Radrizzani, Corberan might not have pursued a career in senior management, married wife Claudia, and had two sons, Marcos and Dario, today.
In a way, he owes everything to Clarke, the supremely talented 23-year-old former Leeds academy graduate who moved to Tottenham for £10million while a teenager in 2019.
Corberan was initially under-23s boss at Leeds before his meeting with Radrizzani left such an impression on the Italian businessman he was promoted to become the great Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team coach following his appointment.
Carlos Corberan and Sunderland star winger Jack Clarke have a long history together, and their narrative is unlike any other coach and footballer’s.
Indeed, according to the Spaniard, if it hadn’t been for conversations with Clarke and his father at Leeds, as well as a chance meeting with then-owner Andrea Radrizzani, Corberan might not have pursued a career in senior management, married wife Claudia, and had two sons, Marcos and Dario, today.
“I didn’t spend a lot of time talking with Andrea Radrizzani, the previous owner of Leeds, but that day we spoke a lot. If I hadn’t gone to this meeting, I wouldn’t have spent time with Andrea.
“Spending that time with him, he decided that I would be Bielsa’s assistant if he took the job.”
Corberan was later offered a role in his native Spain by the Leeds hierarchy, to manage Cultural Leonesa, but the coach was enjoying England too much – and had recently discovered another reason to stay put.
He continues: “He (Radrizzani) sent me to Buenos Aires to talk with Bielsa, in that meeting. After that meeting, I started to work with Bielsa – he has had an amazing contribution in myself as a coach.
“My history as a coach, starting with Bielsa and moving up to the first team because of Andrea, came from having the conversation with the father of Jack Clarke.
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