Peter Cklamovski takes to the hotseat at Salford City with impeccable references, great expectations and an ambitious style of play, three things that stood out to CEO Gavin Fleig when making the appointment.
Following the surprise announcement that former Ammies boss Karl Robinson would be relieved of his duties shortly after the club failed to secure promotion in a Playoff final disappointment in late May, the club’s board were undoubtedly seeking a fresh start.
Upon his announcement as Salford City’s new manager this morning, Peter Cklamovski said: “The owners have got lofty ambitions, the club’s got big aspirations to achieve something special and that resonates with me.
“We want to build a mentality around the game where we fight for everything with passion, commitment and discipline, but get on the ball, be brave and have that forward intent to score goals.
“We want to be aggressive, attacking, get our fans off their seats, get them jumping.”
Having been manager of the Malaysian national team in his most recent venture, Cklamovski enters the fray with plenty of footballing influence, spending 15 years supporting former Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou in his various roles from the Australian national team to breaking J-League records with Yokohama J Marinos in Japan.
Cklamovski’s story begins by the side of Postecoglou, where the pair worked together to coach Australia’s youth teams from 2004 and led their sides into Youth World Cup tournaments. It is here that the foundations of his attacking style of play first came to fruition.
The Australian then continued to follow his mentor Postecoglou, after a short spell in Greece led the pair back to their native country, where Cklamovski helped to deliver unprecedented consecutive A-League title wins to Brisbane Roar in 2011 and 2012.
There is even World Cup pedigree on Cklamovski’s CV, making up part of Ange Postecoglou’s Australia coaching staff at the 2014 edition in Brazil.
His time at Yokohama F Marinos brought to an end his tenure as Postecoglou’s right-hand man, as it was here that he would begin his own managerial venture into Japanese football, coaching Shimizu S-Pulse, Montedio Yamagata and FC Tokyo, before taking the Malaysian national team at the back end of 2024.
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The new man may not carry experience in English football into the Peninsula, however the Australian has built up his own reputation of combining excitement with his ideas, and has been known to achieve results across his short career in management so far.
Salford City CEO Gavin Fleig told Ammies fans following Cklamovski’s arrival: “Peter brings an elite and diverse experience to the club – delivering football that is proactive and on the front foot.
“Peter has the drive, know-how and daily work ethic to raise standards develop people and maximise the potential of our talented playing squad.
“He was the standout candidate following a rigorous process and we look forward to introducing Peter to our supporters.”
Fleig thinks especially highly of his new appointment, and has promised that his trademark expansive and lively approach will translate with the vibrance that will be both brought in through transfers and utilised within the squad’s players; which matches with the club’s ‘higher than ever’ expectations for the coming season.
The decision to replace Karl Robinson at the Salford City helm shocked many, with the former MK Dons and Oxford United head coach having held the position since 2024, and guiding the Ammies to the League Two play-off final for the first time in their history.
However, the managerial profile of Cklamovski comes with an especially exciting reference.
Speaking to Stadium Astro last year, Ange Postecoglou said: “Pete won’t leave any stone unturned in trying to make sure he makes an impact, he won’t settle for anything second best or just being good enough.
“I’ve had him work alongside me and he’s a very ambitious guy, a very driven guy, he’ll work day and night.
“He wants the players and all the staff to be very clear that the target is being the best you can possibly be.”
Cklamovski’s attacking and positive form of play is the most vital tool, and Salford supporters will expect to celebrate plenty of goals at the Peninsula this season as the Ammies eye that elusive promotion League One.
