Carlos Corberan addresses West Brom Guochuan Lai protests after win v Blackpool
West Brom supporters voiced their opinions on owner Guochuan Lai during the club’s 1-0 victory over Blackpool on Tuesday evening.
Carlos Corberan picked up his first win as West Brom manager on Tuesday, with Okay Yukuslu scoring a late winner to lift the Baggies off of the bottom of the Championship.
But most of the attention around the match was focused on the supporters at The Hawthorns, who vented their frustration at Lai through a mass protest in the first half.
Several hundred fans shined lights from the stands in the 12th minute of the match, and Corberan gave his opinion on the matter after the full-time whistle.
“You have to respect the behaviours of the fans but we are here to try to change the feeling,” said Corberan, as quoted by the Express & Star.
“We are here to make the fans proud of the team because it’s the most important thing we need to do.
“The fans were supporting the team in the 90 minutes. My task is to change any type of negative feeling. It is the challenge we have in front of us.
Protests will continue
This isn’t the first time West Brom fans have voiced their opinion on Lai, and it certainly won’t be the last.
The club has hugely underperformed on the pitch, but a lot of that has to do with the rot growing behind the scenes, and for that, the finger has to be pointed at Lai.
His ownership is a danger to the club, and he has failed to comfort the fans about the loans that are crippling the club’s finances. Supporters were evidently frustrated about it on Tuesday night, with a large section chanting “We want our money back” – a nod to the £4.95m loan Lai took out to put into another of his companies. [Express & Star]
After witnessing a number of other football clubs struggle financially with poor ownership, West Brom fans are absolutely right to target Lai and hold him accountable for the club’s well-being.
The Baggies fanbase is taking action and while Corberan is new to the scene at The Hawthorns, it’s important that he doesn’t stand in the way of fans and Lai.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Campbell says Carlos Corberan will have the final say on Kyle Bartley’s future