Cheers guys! Carlos Corberan raises a glass to unsung West Brom heroes

The Spanish head coach marked his one-year anniversary at The Hawthorns by treating all staff members from the grounds team, to kitmen, to kitchen and media staff with a large bottle of Estrella beer – in honour of his Baggies chant – and a note of appreciation.

His signed letter read: ‘October 25th, 2022. The day I had the privilege of becoming West Bromwich Albion head coach.

‘For the last 12 months, it has been a great honour to lead this football club, our players and you – our hard-working, fantastic staff.

‘As we now begin our second year together, I wanted to say how much I appreciate all of the effort you have put in. We are a team and together we can achieve anything.

‘Thank you for everything so far. Here is to a successful season and a successful future.’

Support staff felt humbled by the touch as Corberan continues to unite all involved in the drive for success. With Albion out of action this weekend ahead of a trip to Coventry on Monday night, the boss served up particular praise for how his staff and players’ stomachs are looked after by the training ground’s kitchen team.

Asked about his decision to recognise colleagues, Corberan told the Express & Star: “Sometimes, with the number of games playing in a row and we are very focused on preparing and tactical question, it is very difficult to say to the people we have here ‘thank you’ and to value how important they are.

“But one of the things that makes me more proud to be at West Bromwich is the fans and the people that I find here to work with because I find very special people that from the first day they only have given me their best to help me to develop the job and to commit to the job, because we’re all going in the same direction because we are close together.

“Sometimes I am the one that the people will be so nice in the good moments and for the bad moments. It is impossible to bring something special without special people in your back – it is literally impossible.

“I talk (for) but not only my direct staff, every single person that has a contribution in the club.”

Albion’s record at The Hawthorns in Corberan’s 12 months in charge has been exceptional. Staff and players typically spend all of Friday together before a home weekend fixture before spending the night at the nearby Holiday Inn – but not before the training ground chefs have delivered a delight while working around the clock.

Corberan explained: “I will give you one example – the days before the game when we play at home we sleep in the hotel because we eat and then make a night in the hotel together. We have dinner in the training ground and we do because the level of quality of food here is amazing.

“The level of food is amazing because of the love these people put for us. They give us breakfast in the morning and they don’t move until the night, and if you see the dinner we have here the day before the game – you have to go to a wedding to find the same quality food! I am very honest with you!

“In the last week we gave applause to all the staff, me and the players, because the love and quality they give us is impossible to not value them. They are helping us where they can help us. This is how you build teams.

“We are working in the same direction and the only thing we can do is make our best for West Bromwich. Now I am head coach, this is the players we have, we represent this club and give our best for West Bromwich. It’s a moment for these ground staff, these medical staff, these technical staff, these communication staff, these kitchen staff, of everyone. At the end the result is the consequence of the best of every single person.

“But it is impossible in football to achieve something if you don’t have special people working with you. I know this since the beginning of my career and I value the people working with me. I only want to work with the best people.”

Corberan smiled when asked if his home record is largely down to the club’s training ground cooks, before he emphasised the point about ‘the team behind the team’ working to bring the club success in the Championship.

“Everyone is in the back of (behind) the positive results and only me is in the back of the negative ones!” Corberan smiled, half-jokingly. “This is how I like to work. Even if the second part is not true, the first part is true. The second part is about we and the players finding solutions. But the first point is true, the consequence of everyone.

“Everyone has different limits, even I can’t go to (play) the game, but I can give my players better understandings of the game to make better solutions, and many things to do better when I don’t do well enough. We can only do our best and we are receiving the best of many, many people.”