Rob Jarvis

Mon 10 October 2022 11:00, UK

Speculation linking Roy Keane to the West Brom job is only going to increase now, according to the Irish Mirror.

The newspaper has reported on its website that Keane would be open to returning to management, and he was spotted at the 1-0 defeat against Preston last week.

Monday (10 October) finally saw Steve Bruce shown his marching orders as the Albion somehow sit in the relegation zone in the Championship despite being tipped for promotion.

Keane has not managed since 2011 so would therefore represent a big risk, but with Ron Gourlay in charge of the search, anything could happen.

Bruce faced heavy scrutiny at The Hawthorns over the weekend, alongside Gourlay and Guochuan Lai with protests for all three to leave the club.

With the manager now gone, that attention will not just disappear with more eyes likely on the board than ever right now at the club.

No chance.

There is surely no chance of this one happening.

Keane regularly watches Preston and is, of course, close friends with Bruce after their playing career together, neither of which were mentioned after he was spotted at Deepdale.

It was too easy to assume that he was there getting ready to take over the manager spot should Bruce leave, which he now has with speculation backed to increase.

Saying that the club simply has to get this one right is obvious, but we have said that plenty of times in recent years, with every last appointment turning toxic in the end.

Gourlay has questions to answer right now, and breaking his silence alongside the board would be recommended, with the ability to hide behind this sacking off the table now.

Doing this at the start of the week leaves us with the possibility that a new man will be in charge before the trip to Reading next weekend, although that may not happen.

All eyes are already peeled for updates – bring it on.

In other West Brom news, Chris Lepkowski has scolded what he brands as a “rancid, horrible bunch” that have made the Baggies dressing room toxic.