Kevin Phillips: West Brom did not make big mistake keeping Sam Johnstone this season
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 insisted that West Brom did not make a big mistake by keeping Sam Johnstone around this season.
The ex-Baggies talisman admitted that now the play-offs appear unlikely, many will believe he should have been sold.
Alan Nixon of The Sun has now shared that Johnstone has now likely played his final game for the club with his deal expiring at the end of this season.
“It’s one of those,” he exclusively told West Brom News. “If West Brom would have got promoted you would have said it was a great decision to keep him.
“Of course, where they are now and unlikely to get in the play-offs, they probably should have sold him and cashed in.
“For me, it was the right decision to keep him as he is a class keeper, and he could’ve helped you get back to the Premier League.
“There’s not many better out there who are going to come to West Brom and do a better job than him, in hindsight, it would have been the right decision to cash in, but from a footballing point of view, I think whoever is in charge, you want the best players at the club.”
Farewell.
Johnstone now looks likely to never pull on an Albion shirt again, and all we can do is thank him for his efforts.
This was always a huge gamble, but after he agreed to stay on for this year, no one can have any major complaints.
With clubs such as Manchester United interested, this may be the final season he ever gets to play as a number one.
In other West Brom news, Steve Bruce has held talks over new Baggies signing since arriving with a work permit update shared
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