Stoke sack Pelach after just three months in charge

Narcis Pelach has previously served as a coach at Huddersfield and Norwich City

Stoke City have parted company with head coach Narcis Pelach just 19 games into his tenure at the club, stating that the Catalan was "not the right fit".

Pelach replaced Steven Schumacher on 18 September, signing a three-year contract, but has won only three times in the Championship, the last on 6 November, and the Potters lie 19th in the table.

They were beaten 2-0 by Leeds United on Boxing Day, during which the 36-year-old was criticised over his constant tactical changes.

Former Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross will take caretaker charge for Sunday's home clash with Sunderland, assisted by fellow backroom team members Alex Morris, Dean Whitehead and Darren Behcet.

Goalkeeper coach Paul Clements and performance analyst Harrison Glew have also left the club.

Pelach brought in first-team coach Whitehead and goalkeeper coach Clements when he was appointed in mid-September.

In a club statement, Stoke sporting director Jon Walters accepted responsibility for the appointment and Pelach's inability to turn the Potters' fortunes around.

"Narcis is a talented coach with huge potential," said Walters. "He works relentlessly hard and I have no doubt that he will go on to achieve success in the future.

"However, with the way results and performances have been in recent weeks, we have to accept with hindsight that he has proved not to be the right fit for this club at this time.

"I take full responsibility for that and I'm absolutely determined that we will now make the right choice to take us forward.

"Every decision we make is driven by our love of Stoke City and absolute determination to bring success to the club."

"Narcis has our thanks for his around-the-clock endeavours during his time with the club," added chair John Coates. "He is a great person and a talented coach with a relentless work ethic and a bright future.

"He departs Stoke City with my very best wishes. I would also like to thank our fans for the outstanding way they got behind the team against Leeds United on Boxing Day, and for their continuing and unwavering support."

Stoke sporting director Jon Walters (left) with chair John Coates

Pelach was former Stoke striker Walters' first appointment since taking on the sporting director role earlier this year.

In a post on social media, Pelach said he was sorry that his time at Stoke had not gone the way he wanted.

"I did everything I could and unfortunately my best was not enough," he said.

Since relegation from the Premier League in May 2018, Stoke have finished no higher than 14th.

Starting with Gary Rowett, then Nathan Jones, Michael O'Neill, Alex Neil, and Schumacher, Pelach was their sixth 'permanent' appointment in six-and-a-half years - and is now their third sacking in barely 12 months.

After back-to-back defeats in his opening two matches, the Potters thrashed Portsmouth 6-1 and lost only one of their following nine league matches, indicating progress was being made.

But results have nosedived since the end of November, with five defeats in their last six and Pelach has been dismissed with the January transfer window opening next week.

'The last thing Stoke needed was another major influx of players' - analysis

By Ged Scott, BBC Midlands Sport

Narcis Pelach made a belated appearance in the Stoke City pressroom late on Boxing Day night – although one of impressive bonhomie.

After being kept waiting by Leeds United boss Daniel Farke, who had just spoken at considerable length about his side's comfortable victory, their next game, going top of the league, German values, coaching in general and how little activity he expected to have in the January transfer window, Pelach then entered.

The Catalan politely circuited the room, shaking hands with every member of the press corps present and wishing each one a happy Christmas.

As it turned out, fatefully, these were to prove parting handshakes.

When Pelach finally sat down, it was to defend his constant changes of tactics, while at the same time stating his intention to sign more players in the January window.

But it only took a quick chat with Potters legend Mike Pejic, BBC Radio Stoke's match summariser on the night, to get another slant on this latest Potters crisis.

Maybe judging any team after just being beaten by the new league leaders is a little unfair.

But possibly the last thing that Stoke need right now is yet another major influx of players, brought on by yet again changing their manager and being cast now as the Watford of the north.

As Pejic said, he already has good players. Maybe he just needed to play them in the right positions.