West Brom job now looms large as Sean Dyche options dwindle
Sean Dyche could be on a collision course for the West Brom job as his other options for a return to management continue to dry up.
The former Burnley boss has been putting himself about in recent weeks, making it obvious that he is ready to get back into the saddle following his sacking at Turf Moor in April.
He said on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast (27 September) that he would “afford myself a window” to get another opportunity in the Premier League, while not ruling out a drop down the pyramid.
But as the potential openings for him to do that reduce then the greater the chances that Ron Gourlay can convince him of the merits of making a run at promotion at the Hawthorns, although granted, he will need to rescue things at the other end of the table first.
The Sun reported on Saturday evening (15 October) that he had sent friend and prospective assistant Ian Woan to scout out top flight openings at the likes of Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.
He has also been mentioned in conjunction with the vacancies at Wolves and Bournemouth, which he said he wouldn’t rule out [Sport Bible, 15 September], as well as potentially arriving at Aston Villa if Steven Gerrard is sacked [Express, 19 October], and other high profile Championship roles such as Middlesbrough.
But it looks increasingly like the majority of those options are either closed or closing to the 51-year-old, and while suggestions that he was present at the Baggies’ victory over Reading on Saturday may have to go down as unconfirmed, the job is one of the top ones left standing.
Steve Cooper looked odds on to be removed as Forest boss earlier this month, but fan pressure reversed course and saw the Welshman given a contract extension on 7 October, apparently cementing his place at the City Ground at least for the time being.
Wolves have made QPR boss Michael Beale their number one target according to David Ornstien in The Athletic (19 October) and CBS journalist Ben Jacobs reported that Dyche wasn’t in the running for the job a day earlier.
Meanwhile Michael Carrick has agreed to take over at Middlesbrough [Sky Sports, 19 October], while Villa are being increasingly linked with Mauricio Pochettino [Telegraph, 19 October], which while ambitious in itself suggests they aren’t looking for someone in Dyche’s mould.
Since being thrashed 9-0 by Liverpool on 27 August, which saw Scott Parker sacked, Bournemouth are unbeaten under interim boss Gary O’Neill and are comfortably mid-table in the Premier League.
Since Dyche wasn’t turned to for that opening at the time it seems unlikely that he is going to get the call two months later when things have improved so much.
That leaves Brendan Rodgers at Leicester as the one Dyche must surely have his eye on if he is going to slot straight back into the top flight.
The Foxes are admittedly in dismal form, somewhat similar to that at West Brom under Steve Bruce, but the former Celtic boss is still in place.
It doesn’t seem too much of a stretch to say currently that it might be King Power or bust for Dyche, and if there isn’t a vacancy there soon it surely leaves the Albion as one of the top opportunities in the second tier.
If Beale leaves Loftus Road then QPR will also be an important consideration thanks to the work Gerrard’s ex-assistant has done there to leave them well-placed for a playoff spot at least.
But the fact is that doors are closing and the long-time Clarets boss is still available, so the chances of him taking over at the Hawthorns have to be increasing.
In other West Brom news, one talkSPORT pundit has said the Baggies job is the “perfect fit” for Dyche to get back to the Premier League.