AXING BILIC WAS CRAZY, BUT SAM CAN GET BAGGIES BOINGING BACK
THE sacking of Slaven Bilic and the appointment of Sam Allardyce made little sense back in December – and still makes no sense as West Brom go through the relegation motions.
Bilic had just earned a point at the Etihad against a Manchester City side that subsequently went on a run of 21 consecutive victories.
He had not enjoyed a good start to the season, but Bilic seemed to have a rapport with the players and, despite Allardyce’s record of keeping teams in the division, was the club’s best chance of staying in the Premier League.
To fire him and replace him with Allardyce was a dispiriting move and outside of The Hawthorns, there should be little sympathy for West Brom and their demotion.
West Brom have not just been relegated, they have been relegated quite emphatically.
Yet while their appointment of Allardyce was, at the time, a retrograde step, they will have the best chance of an immediate return to the Premier League if they manage to keep him in the job.
There is no guarantee Allardyce will want to carry on, no guarantee he will want to face the grind of a 46-game Championship season.
But if he does have the appetite, he has the form – with Bolton and West Ham – to suggest he can bring West Brom back up.
After losing his first four home games by an aggregate of 17-0, the big turnaround never materialised under Allardyce.
But there has been a slight uplift in form since the turn of the year.
He has still only managed to average a point a game over the last 18 matches, but West Brom have played some good football.
The 5-2 win over
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea felt like a landmark result, even though it counted for very little.
It showed the players were still doing their utmost for Allardyce.
Of course, not all the players will be hanging around for a Championship campaign.
Loan players Okay Yokuslu and Mbaye Diagne will not be there, that is for sure.
But there is enough in the squad to work, especially if they can keep hold of Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone, for a successful Championship campaign to become a probability rather than a possibility.
Based on the fact that two of the relegated teams are making an immediate return to the Premier League – with the possibility of a third to follow – bookmakers already have West Brom as favourites for promotion next season.
And with Allardyce still in charge, they would deserve to be.
He turns 67 in October, but, despite the first Premier League relegation appearing on his CV, his appetite and enthusiasm for the job have clearly not diminished and when the West Brom fans return, the football they will see will be far from unattractive.
Allardyce’s appointment was not met with widespread approval amongst supporters. No wonder.
At the time, it was unimaginative and, in the cold light of day, as the club goes down without too much of a fight, it has not worked.
But there has been enough evidence – on and off the pitch – to be convinced that Allardyce is the right man to lead West Brom in the Championship.
Now, West Brom’s owners just need to convince the man himself.