Salford City have confirmed their new manager, and it’s quite the appointment. Peter Cklamovski Salford City fans will be getting to know is a coach with World Cup experience, a 2015 AFC Asian Cup triumph to his name, and a record of lifting Malaysia to their best FIFA ranking in over 20 years. Now 47, the Australian takes charge as the club prepare for another season in League Two.
It’s a hire that signals serious intent. Gary Neville, David Beckham, and the rest of the Salford setup weren’t looking for a safe option. They wanted someone with a clear philosophy and a proven record at international level.
Why Salford City Needed a New Manager
Karl Robinson was sacked following Salford’s play-off final defeat, with the club beaten comprehensively by Notts County at Wembley. Robinson had taken the Ammies to their highest-ever league finish. Promotion to League One remained out of reach, though, and the board decided a change was needed.
Salford were taken over by a nine-member consortium headed by Gary Neville and David Beckham in May 2025. Both were at Wembley to witness the defeat. A thorough review of the football operation followed, and a new manager search began immediately.
Who Is Peter Cklamovski?
Born in 1978 of Macedonian descent, Cklamovski has built a coaching career across three continents. Early work in Australian football’s youth set-up brought him to the attention of Ange Postecoglou. That relationship shaped everything that followed.
Joining Postecoglou’s staff with the Australian national team in 2014, Cklamovski served as assistant coach through one of the Socceroos’ most successful periods. Australia won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on home soil, defeating South Korea in the final. A trip to the 2014 FIFA World Cup came before that.
Moving to Japan with Postecoglou, the pair won the 2019 J1 League title at Yokohama F. Marinos, ending a 15-year drought for the club. Attacking, possession-with-purpose football was the method. Salford’s ownership wants exactly that at the Peninsula Stadium.
Peter Cklamovski Salford City: His Journey Through Japan
Stepping out on his own, Cklamovski took charge of Shimizu S-Pulse before moving to Montedio Yamagata. Results there were striking. At Yamagata, he turned a relegation-threatened club into promotion contenders, delivering their best win percentage and points-per-game record.
Changing a struggling side’s trajectory on a limited budget is precisely what attracted Salford’s attention. Next came FC Tokyo. There, Cklamovski handed twelve debuts, nine going to under-21 players, and fielded the youngest starting XI in the club’s history. Attendance surged to a club record of 60,988. Those numbers say everything about the football he produces.
Peter Cklamovski Salford City: The Malaysia Chapter
Before arriving in Greater Manchester, Cklamovski took on one of Asian football’s most challenging roles. Appointed Malaysia head coach in December 2024, he guided the national team to their highest FIFA ranking in over 20 years. Malaysia also finished ranked 3rd globally for best-performing nations in 2025.
Turbulence followed, though. A naturalisation controversy involving seven foreign-born players overshadowed his tenure, with eligibility documents later ruled fraudulent by FIFA. Despite that difficult backdrop, interest from clubs in his coaching record never waned.
What Peter Cklamovski Salford City Means in Practice
Supporters will want to know what kind of football is coming. Cklamovski has been direct about it, saying he wants the Ammies to “fight for everything with passion, commitment, discipline” while being “aggressive, attacking” and getting “our fans off their seats.”
Few at the Peninsula Stadium will argue with that. Salford fans have waited a long time for a step up from League Two, and entertainment matters as much as results. Paul Scholes added that Cklamovski is “obsessed with keeping clean sheets” too, and wants a clear identity running through everything his teams do.
CEO Gavin Fleig described the appointment as bringing “an elite and diverse experience” to the club, with “clear principles, training process and attention to detail” set to deliver “control, possession with purpose, and relentless intensity on a matchday.” A track record across multiple clubs and countries backs every word of it.
Peter Cklamovski Salford City: A Statement Appointment
Very few people saw this coming. When Cklamovski’s name first emerged, the Telegraph labelled him a “shock contender.” Looking at his career now, the fit makes plenty of sense.
Salford poached a three-time national team manager as their new boss, signalling the scale of the ambitions that remain at the Peninsula Stadium. Speed wasn’t the priority. Finding the right Peter Cklamovski Salford City match took precedence, and Fleig confirmed he was “the standout candidate following a rigorous process.”
Arriving with experience across Australia, Japan, and the international stage, Cklamovski brings serious credentials to League Two. Young talent development, struggling clubs transformed, titles won — his CV covers all of it. Whether Peter Cklamovski Salford City delivers that long-awaited promotion in 2026-27 is now the only question that matters.
Keep checking back here for the latest news and analysis as Salford City’s new era takes shape ahead of next season.
