Good start a must for Clarke

Steve Clarke claims it 'was important' he started life as West Brom manager well to prove that he is not just an assistant boss.

The Scot was given an opportunity to cut his teeth as a Premier League boss when the Baggies approached him to replace England-bound Roy Hodgson in the close-season. And Clarke has wasted no time in showing that he has the capabilities to be a top man in his own right having gained vast experience working with some great managers over the years in spells with Newcastle United,Chelsea, West Ham United and Liverpool. Albion have collected 14 points from their opening eight games to leave them in sixth spot ahead of Sunday's trip to Newcastle and Clarke feels things could not have been much better. "The start was important," he said. "As a group we put a lot of emphasis on starting the first week very well and we managed to do that. "From there it gives you the confidence and the platform to build from. "I'm not daft and I think it was really important that I had a good start because there were a lot of people saying 'Steve Clarke is the perennial No.2'. "For me it was vital that we got off to a good start and it was good for the club because it showed that their appointment of me as a head coach wasn't as crazy as it might have appeared to some people at the time."