How West Brom boss revealed his debt to Sunderland star in lovely pre-match story

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan paid tribute to Sunderland winger Jack Clarke ahead of the two teams meeting at The Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon, sharing the debt he owes the 23-year-old for his management career - and his young family.

Corberan played a key part in Clarke's development during his time working in Leeds United's academy, before both would ultimately be promoted to Marcelo Bielsa's senior set up. That proved the catalyst for both to go and forge their careers in the first-team game, with Corberan eventually appointed Huddersfield Town boss and leading them to a play-off final.

Clarke's multi-million pound move to Tottenham Hotspur did not work out as hoped but the winger has recaptured the form that made him such a bright prospect at Sunderland.

Ahead of Saturday's game, Corberan revealed how his part in securing a new contract for Clarke helped him catch the eye of then Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani.

“I remember very well Jack Clarke because I was working with him,” Corberan revealed. “Individually, he had a massive contribution in my career as a coach. My career as a coach in England changed the day I had a conversation with the previous owner of Leeds. I remember Victor Orta, the sporting director, rang me one day and said ‘Carlos, can you come to the club and speak with me and the agent of Jack Clarke?’

“It was to talk about the project of Clarke and to renew his contract. I went to the club to talk with the agent and the father of Jack. 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. 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. Imagine how important this player was for me. The one who made the decisions at Leeds at the time wanted me to move to Spain, to work in one of the other clubs where he was organising. I didn’t want to move because I love England and I had just met my wife. If they’d sent me back to Spain, it would have been a challenging relationship to keep!

“Thanks to Jack Clarke, that meeting, I convinced the chairman that I must stay at Leeds, I stayed at Leeds, I created a relationship with my wife, I have now two lovely children, and everything started with Jack Clarke. Imagine how important he has been!”

Corberan would go on to repay the debt in part by picking Clarke and fellow academy prospect Jamie Shackleton as the best prospects to join Biela's first-team squad.