ALBION AXE PULIS WITH OUICK PHONE CALL
TONY PULIS was ruthlessly sacked over t he t el e - phone by West Bromwich Albion yesterday. Chairman John Williams delivered the news during a call yesterday morning while Pulis was at home in Dorset.
Sportsmail understands Pulis would have preferred a face-toface meeting after nearly three years in charge.
West Brom are now searching for a manager who can guide them clear of relegation danger having dismissed the survival specialist. The Baggies are currently 17th, one point above the drop zone.
Premier League experience is the main attribute desired byy West Brom’s hierarchy, erarchy, with Sam Allardycee fea-featuring highly in dis-discussions over Pulis’ss’s successor.
Allardyce worked with Williams at Blackburn but it would take a good offer for him to reprise a rescue role he carried out successfully at Sun-derland and Crystaltal Palace in the past two seasons.
The 63-year- old held talks with Everton recently but withdrew from the running when a contract offer failed to materialise.
Nigel Pearson’s name has also been mentioned. The 54-yearold is currently in charge of Belgian second-tier side OH Leuvenbu this last Premier league involvement saw Leicester pull of a great escape by winning seven of their final nine games in 2015.
Pearson was a coach under Bryan Robson when West Brom achieved their own miraculous survival in 2005 and bringing him in with former assistant Craig Shakespeare would be an appealing option.
Alan Pardew, meanwhile, would come with a ringing endorsement from West Brom’s technical director Nick Hammond, who worked with the former Palace manager at Reading.
Gary Megson has been placed in temporary charge and will address the media today. A new manager could be in place f or Saturday’s trip to Wembleybl to face Tottenham.T West Brom acted after the 4-0 loss to Chelsea made it two wwins from 21 PrPremier LeaLeague games for PuPulis. OwneOwner Guochuan Lai was in attendance to witness the febrile atmosphere, with fans repeatedly calling for Pulis to go, and came to the decision after holding discussions with Williams on Sunday.
Williams called Pulis, who drove down to Bournemouth after the Chelsea defeat, yesterday morning and club sources stress the offer of a meeting was made.
But Pulis wanted to know his f ate i mmediately. Williams said: ‘These decisions are never taken lightly but always in the interests of the club.
‘We are in a results business and over the back end of last season and this season to date, ours have been very disappointing. We would like to place on record our appreciation of Tony’s contribution and hard work during a period of transition for the club which included a change of ownership. We wish him well in his future endeavours.’
The 59-year-old, who signed a contract to 2019 last summer, departs with a pay- off worth £2.5million and has already emerged as a contender for the Swansea job wit h Paul Clement in jeopardy.
On Friday Pulis joked he was ‘ too young’ for the vacant Wales manager’s position.
Pulis, who was appointed on New Year’s Day 2015 and guided the club away from relegation fears to 13th, 14th, and 10th in successive campaigns, said: ‘Our final league position over the last three seasons has represented the accomplishment of our targets as a club — sustaining our status in the Premier League and delivering stability, throughout the club’s transition of ownership.
Expectations have risen, and although we are disappointed with some of our results, one thing I would never question is this group’s work ethic and application. I would like to thank them for their efforts and wish them the very best in the future.’
West Brom now want a manager who can find the team’s potential, but first and foremost guide the club to safety.
As well as Allardyce, Pearson, and Pardew, Ronald Koeman has top-flight know-how and would represent an ambitious move. Links to Michael O’Neill have been dismissed.