Ambitious Darrell Clarke chasing success with Walsall
Darrell Clarke would not have joined Walsall if the club didn’t match his ambition and hunger for success.
The 41-year-old was announced as the Saddlers new manager on Friday after agreeing a three-year deal at the Banks’s Stadium.
Clarke had been out of work since leaving Bristol Rovers in December - a club where he won back-to-back promotions before going on to establish them in League One.
Following his departure from the Memorial Stadium, the former Mansfield midfielder was approached by a number of clubs regarding their manager’s job.
But speaking to the Not The Top 20 Podcast before his appointment as Saddlers boss, Clarke said he needed to take stock before waiting for the right club for him.
“It was important for me to take a break from the game,” he said.
“I had a few clubs contract me but I politely declined to speak to them.
“I think if you move straight into the next club and the next project, you haven’t taken the time that’s needed to look at things and improve things.
“I wanted to evaluate what had gone right and what had gone wrong in my managerial career so far.
“But I did that while still keeping hold of that strong belief that I am a good manager.
“I think I have proven that in the 400 games I have managed.
“Every club is a different project. But the club I want to get into has to have the ambition of wanting success and wanting to move forward.”
Clarke became known for his tactical flexibility while in charge of Rovers with the boss switching formations on a regular basis.
But whatever system he plays, he says the aim is always to play attacking football and win games.
“I have always been pretty flexible as a manager,” Clarke continued.
“Every game is a different project for me.
“I think if you have got the biggest budget in a division you can adapt to a style that you want to be known for. Pressing, high-tempo all these things.
“But to do that you need to be able to go out and get the best players. You have got to look outside the box and be adaptable along the way. You have got to be flexible.
“But I want to play attacking football and score a lot of goals. I have always been an attack-minded manager.”
