Kevin Phillips reacts to major update on Sam Allardyce future at West Brom
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips has backed Sam Allardyce to stay in charge of West Brom next season even if the club is relegated from the Premier League.
Albion are nine points away from safety with seven matches left to play despite winning their last two matches 5-2 against Chelsea and 3-0 against Southampton.
According to the Daily Star, the club’s recent improvement means Big Sam is set to be handed a chance to get the Baggies back out of the Championship next season if relegation is confirmed.
Phillips believes that is the best option as Allardyce has now finally got to grasps with the team.
Speaking to West Brom News, the ex-striker said: “In an ideal world, you don’t really want to change the manager again because he knows the club now, he knows the players and he knows what it takes to get out of the Championship.
“Whether you agree with the style of play or not, I think West Brom showed against Southampton and at Chelsea they’ve got some good players and they can play some really good football when they need to. They can mix it up a little bit.”
However, one potential issue will be how much money Big Sam will have to work with in the summer transfer window.
The Daily Star claims that whether or not the ex-England manager will agree to stay at The Hawthorns would “largely hinge on assurances he would seek in discussions with Sporting and Technical Director Luke Dowling and Chief Executive Xu Ke”.
It is understood Allardyce would want a budget that will help him build the squad to be one more than capable of winning instant promotion.
Phillips believes that is what he’ll get.
“From a manager’s point of view we can only assume that if they do go down, he will be given a budget to work with next season,” Super Kev added.
“He’s got the experience to take them out of that league so you would like to think he’ll be given a few quid to spend in the transfer market to try and get them back up – if they are relegated.”
West Brom fans were largely frustrated by the club’s transfer activity last year after they won promotion to the Premier League.
Slaven Bilic and Dowling struggled to work together and what money was spent was largely wasted on players who’ve failed to perform this term like Grady Diangana and Karlan Grant.
Allardyce’s business in January to sign the likes of Okay Yokuslu, Mbaye Diagne and Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan has played a huge role in Albion’s improvement.
In other West Brom news, this Albion player’s value rises £1million every time he plays.
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