ICONIC Premier League hardman Ryan Shawcross has been plunged into caretaker management with Stoke.
The struggling Championship side sacked Narcis Pelach, 36, just three months after appointing the inexperienced Spaniard.
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Ex-England defender Shawcross will now step up from coaching the Potters’ Under-21s to taking charge at home to high-riding Sunderland on Sunday.
The 37-year-old was involved in some brutal controversies on the field on his way to 453 appearances for Stoke from 2008-2021.
Shawcross was in tears after breaking Aaron Ramsey’s leg in two places in 2010.
He saw red for a tackle that 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 his critics, Shawcross also had many backers, who believed he was a fierce but fair tackler.
And the once-capped centre-back, who quit playing in 2022 after a year with Inter Miami, will now be under a different sort of piercing spotlight.
The Potters said Shawcross will be assisted by Alex Morris, Dean Whitehead and Darren Behcet for Sunday’s Championship clash.
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The 19th-placed Potters axed Pelach, two days after a 2-0 Boxing Day home defeat to Leeds.
Stoke sporting director Jon Walters – who was an equally-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.”