Exclusive: Carlton Palmer fires warning at Stoke City's Jon Walters over Narcis Pelach appointment | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given FLW his verdict on Stoke City's appointment of Narcís Pèlach

Carlton Palmer believes that the pressure is on for sporting director Jon Walters at Stoke City following the appointment of Narcís Pèlach.

Pèlach has been brought into the club following the surprise dismissal of Steven Schumacher earlier this week.

Schumacher had been in charge since December of last year, but a 1-0 loss to Oxford United proved to be his final match with the Potters.

Pèlach was previously a coach at Norwich City, as well as Huddersfield Town, and is taking on his first role on the British Isles as a number one - although he has not only had a number of games as Terrriers caretaker boss, but has also been a head coach with Figueras and Peralada in his home nation.

The aforementioned Walters - who plied his trade at the bet365 Stadium between 2010 and 2017 - is the sporting director at Stoke, and was integral to Pelach's appointment, with it being the first managerial hire he has made since taking on the role on a permanent basis in April of this year.

Carlton Palmer makes Narcís Pèlach appointment claim

Former England international midfielder Palmer however believes that the decision to sack Schumacher is a strange one, stating that he deserved more time at Stoke given how early in the campaign it still is.

But now that Pèlach has been appointed, he has claimed that the pressure is on Walters for this gamble to work out for the club.

“I think it’s a huge gamble by Jon Walters, the sporting director of Stoke City, to sack Steven Schumacher so early in the season and appoint Narcís Pèlach,” Palmer told Football League World.

“Unproven, it’s a hell of a gamble.

“I think Schumacher should’ve been given more time.

“They’d won their previous two games before the international break, and narrowly lost to Oxford.

“Six managers in six years for Stoke fans, so they’ll be hoping that this appointment will work out.

“Again, he’s a young manager, I think he is respected in the game, he’s worked under fellow Spaniard Carlos Corberan at Huddersfield Town, and for the past few months under David Wagner, and his replacement Johannes Hoff Thorup at Carrow Road.

“It’s a gamble.

“He comes well recommended, obviously it’s different when you become the first team manager, it’s a different kind of pressure, and not every number two can make that step up to become the number one.

“So we’ll have to wait and see, I think it’s extremely odd on Schumacher to give him the sack.

“Sometimes you need to be a little bit patient.

“I just think it’s a crazy, crazy decision, but it’s done now and we’ll have to see how Narcís Pèlach goes on, and Jon Walters is under pressure to get this right.”

Narcis Pèlach appointment is a big gamble by Stoke City

Pèlach has spent the last five years working as an assistant or interim coach, working with the likes of Girona, Huddersfield and Norwich.

He did get to manage two games during his time with the Terriers as a temporary head coach, but this is his first real experience as the main man at a club of a significant nature - his previous two jobs in that capacity have been at a low level in Spain.

The Spaniard has earned a positive reputation within the game, but it’s always hard to judge how well someone can translate being an assistant into being a manager.