In his first interview as a Potter, the 36-year-old Catalan talks of being ‘totally in’ at Stoke City with his head and his heart – and of building a team of personality, versatility and, above all, fight.
Narcis Pelach has issued an emotional farewell message to Norwich City after leaving the club to become the new head coach of Stoke City.
Pelach had spent the past year as a first-team coach at Carrow Road after making the move from Huddersfield Town to join David Wagner’s backroom staff last summer.
The 36-year-old played an important role as Norwich reached the Championship play-offs last season, where they were beaten by Leeds United in the semi-finals, and after Wagner’s sacking in May, he remained at the club to work with new head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup.
However, Pelach has now departed to take up his first management role in English football at the bet365 Stadium, where he will replace Steven Schumacher, who was surprisingly sacked on Monday after just five games of the season.
Canaries goalkeeping coach Paul Clements and performance analyst Harrison Glew will join Pelach at Stoke, and the Spaniard will take charge of the Potters for the first time against Hull City on Friday night.
After his appointment as Stoke head coach was confirmed, Pelach took to social media to send a goodbye message to Norwich, reflecting on his time at Carrow Road and thanking the club and fans for ther support.
“Today, my time at a wonderful club has come to an end,” Pelach wrote on X.
“A club full of good, hard working and kind people.
“It has been a pleasure to share this time and I am grateful for having been here, for having met so many good people and also for having experienced another playoff.
“I thank everyone for the warmth received and for the way I have been treated.
“I wish you all the best, good luck and above all, thank you very much.”
Opening up on his decision to join the Potters, Pelach admitted that he has had offers to manage other clubs in England and abroad, but he said the opportunity to take over at the bet365 Stadium was too good to turn down.
“I feel a great excitement and sense of responsibility to Stoke City and can’t thank John Coates and Jon Walters enough for giving me this opportunity,” Pelach told the club’s official website.
“I’ve had other chances to become a Head Coach in England and in other countries. But once I saw in their eyes how passionate they are about the Club and how much they want to embrace a different identity and philosophy, I could not refuse and, once I’m in, I’m all in.
“I know the league, I know the opposition and I already know about our players. The level of the squad is good. I believe in them and I will create a playing style that suits their qualities.
“The methodology will be different, the training will be intense every day, sometimes it won’t be comfortable and players and coaches will be challenged a lot.
“But, if we get it right and do something together that owners, players, supporters and staff emotionally believe in, there are no limits to what we can achieve.”
