Mum’s the word as Carlos Corberan enjoys festive family time

It felt like a significant win, to keep the momentum with in-form Baggies, to start 2023 on the right foot before an FA Cup break, to edge out a deserved win by a narrow margin when Reaching applied pressure late on.

But for the Spanish head coach, in post for a little over two months, it was special because his family experienced The Hawthorns for the first time.

And not just Corberan’s wife and their baby son – indeed the whole Corberan clan jetted over from Spain for New Year celebrations and to take in Albion against the Royals.

For that reason, the 39-year-old admits, he was extra nervous and ‘suffering’ more before the game than usual.

“My wife lives with me and my son but this year for different reasons she and my son couldn’t come to the stadium,” he admitted with a smile.

“So the first time they have come is with all my full family, they came here to stay in the new year with us.

“I was suffering a lot because they know if we don’t win the game I suffer a lot with defeats. I think they were very worried that this doesn’t happen today.

“They were supporting the team and for me the first time my sister, nephews, my mother, father travel and come here in the stadium for this special game.”

Corberan explained that his family visiting from their homeland was extremely rare and that coming to watch the head coach at work is something they are reluctant to do – because the pressures and stress get too much.

Particularly, the head coach said, for his mother. Speaking at his post-match press conference before catching up with family, Corberan half-joked that he didn’t know how his mum would have found the experience of a tight game and nervy finale.

“No because they suffer too much watching the games! Sometimes they stay at home praying for the game,” he added. “We are a very religious family so sometimes my mother cannot be watching the game.

“I don’t know how she will be after the game because for sure she is suffering a lot, I tried to message before the game saying to not suffer and enjoy! But football is football and you can not.

“But I’m more pleased, my family is important to me, but I guarantee the fans is very, very important for us too, the way they support, with two times now a sell-out, even the tickets Reading couldn’t take.

“There isn’t anything that make us feel more happy than giving them a win.” Corberan said he has explained to his nearest and dearest just how the support received from Albion fans has bowled him over during his first two months.

He said: “I was coming in the car to the stadium and I was talking with a friend and saying these fans make me work even harder for them because I am so very pleased with the support that I’ve had since the first day here.”

The Baggies sign off from Championship action for the best part of a fortnight now as their FA Cup campaign before on Saturday with a third-round tie at National League Chesterfield.