Chris Wilder shares Valerien Ismael prediction and makes West Brom Championship suggestion
Chris Wilder is adamant that West Brom should be gunning for instant promotion under “aggressive” Valerien Ismael this season.
The ex-Sheffield United manager, who was heavily linked with The Hawthorns post earlier this summer, believes the West Midlands club could see some explosive scenes under the Frenchman.
Speaking on Sky Sports [06/08/21] prior to Friday night’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth that kicked off the start of the Championship season, Wilder has piled the pressure on West Brom with some high expectations.
“There’s two different styles of manager,” he said. “Scott [Parker] seems nice, comfortable and laid-back and the other guy [Ismael] seems quite aggressive, so I think there might be some fireworks on the touchline this season!”
On the race for promotion this season, Wilder added: “The three that came down should be looking to go back up obviously.”
Onus on Albion
The pressure is on us to gain promotion from everyone, but that includes the Albion players, staff and supporters.
It’s not the most star-studded squad the Championship has ever seen, but there is a wealth of experience and know-how allied to some ultra-talented players who have proven themselves in this division.
Grady Diangana and Karlan Grant are two players who are looking to restore their reputations while the likes of Kyle Bartley, Matt Phillips and Sam Johnstone are experienced senior pros who can play integral roles this season.
Wilder might be right about Ismael – we saw at Bournemouth on Friday just how animated he can be in his technical area, and that passion is sure to transcend to the crowd when he makes his managerial debut at The Hawthorns.
It looks set to be an exciting season for all connected to the club.
In other West Brom news, Wayne Rooney reacts to major Albion transfer question.
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