Petr Cech admits he is stunned that Liverpool didn’t recruit Steve Clarke to replace Kenny Dalglish as manager in the summer.

The Reds eventually elected Brendan Rodgers to replace Dalglish on Merseyside, with Clarke departing the club soon after, but the Northern Irishman has found it difficult going in his maiden term as boss.

After two decades as a player and coach at Stamford Bridge as well as further stints at Newcastle and West Ham, the 49-year-old was finally handed a senior management role by West Brom and has impressed during his short time in the West Midlands, guiding the Baggies to fifth in the Premier League table.

The Blues visit the Hawthorns on Saturday and Cech was full of praise for the former Stamford Bridge assistant.

“I think he has been doing really well,” he told the Fulham Chronicle.

“And I know he’s been waiting for his chance quite a long time. He was always an important first-team coach while he was at Liverpool, and obviously when he was with us.

“Now he has his chance to be manager, to do something with the team the way he wants to do it – his way.

“And he’s been doing really well. That’s great to see because I think as I know him he’s always been working very hard to get a chance and I am pleased for him to have such a great start.

“I was surprised that it took people so long before he actually got the job because I would have thought that he might have got his chance already when he was at Liverpool.”

“And he’s been doing really well. That’s great to see because I think as I know him he’s always been working very hard to get a chance and I am pleased for him to have such a great start.

“I was surprised that it took people so long before he actually got the job because I would have thought that he might have got his chance already when he was at Liverpool.”