West Brom CEO Ron Gourlay addresses challenges faced with owner Guochuan Lai
Chief executive Ron Gourlay has opened up on the challenges he faces with notorious West Brom club owner Guochuan Lai.
Gourlay spoke openly about his working relationship with Lai, the Chinese majority shareholder in the club who took out a near-£5million loan from Albion.
The West Brom CEO admitted that there is “responsibility and accountability” from the ownership and confessed there are a lot of challenges at the club.
“I know my responsibility, but the responsibility isn’t just with me. It’s the club, it starts with the ownership – there is responsibility and accountability there,” said Gourley as quoted by the Express and Star.
“I knew that when I did some advisory work with the club. For me personally, when I took over as CEO, that was the day I tried to move the club forward. It takes time. There are a lot of challenges in the club, and I made clear as I tidied these challenges up, I will make it public.
“I’ve been around. I know you have to set these things, I’m doing what’s right for the football club. I’ve said that from day one, I’ll continue to do what’s right. I don’t always agree with the owner, because otherwise what’s the point in me being here?
“I know the challenges with the owner. I’m at every game. I do understand the challenges of the club. I do believe that I am the right man to put this right. I’ll hopefully now have Carlos on board who can help me to do that.”
New beginnings?
The appointment of fresh-faced Carlos Corberan can give Baggies a sigh of relief, for now at least.
He’s the type of relentless coach to spur some passion and momentum in the team, something that’s desperately needed right now.
The Spaniard is a student of Marcelo Bielsa and hopefully, he can bring some of the Argentine philosopher’s rock and roll football to The Hawthorns.
It’s an appointment that has been needed for years and one that can change the fortunes of Albion moving forward.
Gourlay looks like he’s got this one spot on, there’s a first time for everything right?
Lai’s loan debacle still looms large, but a 31 December 2022 deadline for the repayment set in stone will come just in time for the January transfer window.
It’s time to get positive again at West Brom, it really feels like a new beginning under Corberan, nevertheless, he needs to hit the ground running to get everyone on his side.
In other West Brom news, a government official insists that the Hawthorns community application ‘is in safe hands’