Jed Wallace says ‘crowd turned’ in Valerien Ismael’s West Brom last game
Valerien Ismael’s final game as West Brom manager encapsulated everything that was wrong at the club as they were beaten 2-0 by Millwall.
Second-half goals from Mason Bennett and Benik Afobe was the final straw for the Baggies board who sacked the Frenchman on Wednesday (2 February) along with assistant Adam Murray.
West Brom have since appointed Steve Bruce as the club’s new manager and he will step into the dugout for the first time against Sheffield United on Wednesday 9 February.
Jed Wallace was injured for the Baggies visit to The Den but he witnessed first-hand how toxic the club had become under Ismael.
“It was a huge game for us to be honest,” Wallace said on the BBC’s Football Daily Podcast, “We were under pressure ourselves off the back of four losses in all competitions.
“There was obviously a very negative feel towards the manager and as soon as we scored first in the second half, the crowd turned on him and at that point as a manager, the writing’s on the wall.
“They’ve got a fantastic squad that aren’t playing to the level they can so if they can start getting those individuals like Diangana and Robinson doing what they’ve done before in the Championship, then I’m sure they’ll be banging on the door of the top two again.”
Waited too long?
Things had been rumbling at The Hawthorns for some time and fans were not best pleased with the uninspiring football their team were displaying.
The 3-0 triumph over Peterborough United did little to change supporters’ minds as it took nearly 80 minutes to score against one of the Championship worst teams this season.
Other than that game, the Baggies have scored just once in their last six league fixtures, losing four and drawing twice (against Barnsley and Cardiff).
They’ve decided to sack Ismael just two days after the transfer deadline slammed shut which is bizarre timing, but still necessary.
In a way, the Posh victory delayed the inevitable which has left Bruce with no time to bring in his own fresh faces, leaving him stuck with this confidence-devoid squad until the summer.
There’s no guarantee Bruce stays beyond the end of this season even and the upheaval could return once this turbulent season is concluded.
In other West Brom news, this talkSPORT host has delivered his verdict on the latest developments at The Hawthorns.