Salford appoint Cklamovski as new manager
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- Salford City appointed 47-year-old Peter Cklamovski on a long-term contract to replace Karl Robinson, who was sacked despite finishing one place off automatic promotion in League Two and losing the play-off final to Notts County.
- Cklamovski was already on Salford CEO Gavin Fleig's shortlist through Fleig's seven years as City Football Group's director of talent management, during which he encountered the Australian across CFG's 12 clubs.
- Cklamovski quit as Malaysia national team manager, where he was preparing for an Asean Championship campaign starting with group matches against Myanmar and Laos next month.
- Cklamovski and Postecoglou share a 15-year coaching partnership dating to the Australia Under-17s, including Brisbane's 2011 A-League title and Australia's 2015 Asian Cup win, with Cklamovski describing Postecoglou as a mentor.
- Cklamovski cancelled his flight back to Malaysia within an hour of Fleig's call, citing 'a bit of a reflection point' and a growing desire to succeed in Europe.
- Salford said Cklamovski brings 'an attack-minded style that captures the imagination of supporters', noting he has no direct experience of English football; Cklamovski did not speak to co-owners Gary Neville or David Beckham during the hiring process.
Why it matters: This is a data-driven global hire, with Salford's CEO pulling Cklamovski from a City Football Group network built across 12 clubs rather than the English football market. Robinson was dismissed one place off automatic promotion, so Cklamovski inherits a squad that reached the League Two play-off final and faces immediate pressure to deliver promotion in his first season.
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