Stoke City’s Technical Director Outlines Club-Wide Improvement Initiatives

Former Republic of Ireland international Jon Walters, who scored 62 goals in 269 appearances as a player for Stoke between 2010 and 2017, is now serving as Stoke City’s technical director. In this capacity, Walters is collaborating with head coach Narcis Pelach to implement a thorough overhaul of the club, aiming to establish a foundation for future advancement. Walters assumed his current position in April, five months prior to Pelach’s arrival from Norwich City. He informed BBC Radio Stoke that their objective is to transform the club’s mentality after spending six and a half seasons in the Championship league. The former forward, who played for Stoke, Bolton, and Ipswich, described his role, stating: “Every day just rolls into the next, it’s literally 24 hours, non-stop, it’s the challenge of something new every day, you’re firefighting for a lot of it, dealing with problems, that’s the role, trying to bring people together.” Walters observed that the club has not achieved a higher standing for several years, noting the head coach’s current “drive and that mindset and that push.” He further elaborated on their commitment, stating: “I’m here with him first thing in the morning and normally we’re still here at half eight, nine o’clock at night, me and him just having a chat, he doesn’t want to leave before me and I’m saying the same to him, how can we improve every part of the club, what are we doing, how can he help Ryan and the 21s, (and) because my son’s in the academy, I go and watch them train and help those coaches get what we’re doing with the first team. “It’s (about) surrounding yourself with good people and trying to lead it, not micro-manage it.” Stoke is scheduled to commence construction on a new training complex next week. The club also remains open to recruiting new players in January, provided suitable individuals become available. Walters added: “You’re always looking to add quality, you’re always looking to improve, but it’s got to be the right person for Stoke, the right person that fits into what we’re doing, fits into the mentality we’re trying to create here.” He concluded by emphasizing the challenge: “To have that shift from where the club’s been over the past number of years, that’s a difficult thing to do, and players you bring in have to match that.”