ICONIC Premier League hardman Ryan Shawcross has been plunged into caretaker management with Stoke just two years after quitting playing.
The struggling Championship side sacked Narcis Pelach, 36, only three months after appointing the inexperienced Spaniard.
Ex-England defender Shawcross will now step up from coaching Stoke Under-21s to taking charge at home to high-riding Sunderland on Sunday.
The 37-year-old was involved in some brutal controversies amid 453 appearances for the Potters from 2008-2021.
Shawcross was in tears after breaking Aaron Ramsey’s leg in two places in 2010.
He saw red for that tackle, which Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger labelled “horrendous” and kept Ramsey out for a year.
He also broke Sheffield Wednesday striker Francis Jeffers’ ankle and injured Gunners’ attacker Emmanuel Adebayor.
But as well as critics, Shawcross had his backers, who rated him a fierce but fair tackler.
The once-capped centre-back, who retired as a player after a year with Inter Miami, will now be under a different sort of piercing spotlight.
The Potters revealed Shawcross will be assisted by Alex Morris, Dean Whitehead and Darren Behcet for Sunday’s Championship clash.
The 19th-placed Potters axed Pelach 24 hours after a 2-0 Boxing Day home defeat to Leeds.
Stoke sporting director Jon Walters – who was himself a tough team-mate of Shawcross – took “full responsibility” for the failure of the former Huddersfield interim boss.
Ex-Republic of Ireland frontman Walters, 41, said in a club statement: “Narcis is a talented coach with huge potential.
“He works relentlessly hard and I have no doubt that he will go on to achieve success in the future.
“However, with the way results and performances have been in recent weeks, we have to accept with hindsight that he has proved not to be the right fit for this club at this time.
“I take full responsibility for that and I’m absolutely determined that we will now make the right choice to take us forward.”
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