West Brom fan theory rubbished by local journalist as Championship playoff bid hits the skids
Express & Star journalist Jonny Drury has rubbished claims from fans that West Brom players are deliberately failing in their playoff attempts because they fear they’re going to be out the door next season.
The Baggies blew a two-goal lead in a crucial encounter with relegation-threatened QPR on Monday afternoon, damaging their chances of a potential playoff place at the end of the season.
The result leaves West Brom currently sitting five points off sixth-placed Blackburn Rovers in the Championship table thanks to a costly error from Josh Griffiths which handed QPR a priceless point at The Hawthorns.
And Drury speaking on his and Lewis Cox’s Baggies Broadcast for Express & Star [12 April, 2m:50sec] expressed his dismay at those self-sabotage claims.
He said: “I’ve been inundated with questions and statements from fans basically saying that West Brom players are deliberately trying to not get into the playoffs and get promoted because they fear they are going to be out of the door next season.
“This is a regular theme that I’ve seen, the players are deliberately trying to avoid the playoffs so we can keep going again next season. As much as I respect everyone’s opinion and I am not a football expert but that is complete and utter nonsense.
“Albion have got every single player bar about three or four under contract next season so regardless of whether West Brom go up or stay down, these players are still gonna get paid, they’re still gonna have a club and a contract.”
Rubbish claims
Certainly, the Baggies are currently sleepwalking their way through the playoff race right now which is a huge shame, especially after their dismal drop in performance levels against QPR on Monday [10 April], but that should not be associated with self-sabotage or the players deliberately self-destructing.
Carlos Corberan will have been incredibly disappointed at how his players gave up their two-goal lead and it was an even bigger surprise given their tremendous home form, but these things happen in a playoff race.
The claims that the Baggies players are deliberately avoiding the playoff place and indeed complete and utter rubbish. These players are trying, they know how much promotion would mean to the club, especially given its dreadful financial position right now so to make those claims is simply absurd.
The club have not been helped by the many of their key players suffering from long injury layoffs in recent weeks which has only depleted Corberan’s thin squad even further. Failure to reach the playoffs will be damaging for the club, but there is still a huge chance seeing as they are only a few wins and results going there way from miraculously finishing in those crucial places, so all is not lost.
But those fan claims are a simple waste of time. Those particular fans should support the club as they have done and back these players to do the unthinkable.
In other West Brom news, the Baggies have sent scouts to track an in-demand defender who’s set to leave as they begin planning for the summer transfer window.