Report: Chris Wilder set to be offered West Brom job in the summer amid likely Big Sam exit
West Brom will offer Chris Wilder the chance to resurrect his managerial career at The Hawthorns if Sam Allardyce leaves the club, according to the Daily Star.
Albion are in the Premier League relegation quicksand and look nigh-on certainties to secure an instant return back down to the Championship with the club eight points away from safety with nine games left to play.
Allardyce has endured a nightmare spell in the West Midlands since replacing Slaven Bilic as Baggies boss in December and has won just twice in 17 games to all-but seal his future.
The Daily Star exclusively report that recently-sacked Sheffield United manager Wilder will be handed the chance to bounce back with the Baggies as Big Sam is ‘unlikely’ to remain in charge beyond the summer. He has a break clause inserted in his contract that can be triggered at the end of the season.
After guiding Sheffield United to two promotions in three seasons, including an automatic surge into the Premier League in 2018/19, Wilder is thought to be the ‘ideal’ person to ignite an instant return to the top-flight if relegation is confirmed.
He has been linked with Albion before but opted to remain at Bramall Lane before he was sacked earlier this month following a rotten run of results this season that has left them rock-bottom.
Yes, yes, yes
We would be all over this appointment and it is hard to think of someone more suited for the job.
Big Sam obviously has his considerable strengths and he would expect to waltz the Championship with his know-how and experience.
However results and performances this season have tainted his profile somewhat and the atmosphere of negativity needs turning around and Wilder could be the perfect figure to inspire this.
He will have been left bitterly disappointed at how events leading up to his Blades exit transpired and is sure to be desperate to get his career back on track.
Up until this season Wilder performed absolute miracles in South Yorkshire as he took Sheffield United from League One to the Premier League where they finished in the top 10 in their first season back in the big time.
This was achieved with a squad largely made up of second and third-tier players and it was the unique style of play with overlapping centre-backs that caught the eye.
With a solid track record of promotions and, at times, attractive football, Wilder could breathe a new lease of life into Albion and seems like the ideal candidate.
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