Carlos Corberan future now up in the air at West Brom amid behind-the-scenes twist at The Hawthorns – BBC WM
Carlos Corberan’s future is now up in the air at West Brom after news of CEO Ron Gourlay’s departure from The Hawthorns, according to BBC journalist Rob Gurney.
The Scot offered his resignation in March and, having served some of his notice period, it has been confirmed he will leave the club and begin gardening leave from June 14.
Corberan who is believed to be on great working terms with Gourlay has been attracting plenty of interest with Leeds United now returning to the table to snap him up as Sam Allardyce’s successor at Elland Road.
And speaking on BBC Radio West Midlands [31 May, 4m:00s], journalist Gurney provided an update on Corberan’s immediate future at The Hawthorns.
He said: “Corberan himself has talked at length several times about close their working relationship was and when there was interest from Leeds United before Javi Gracia got the job and then, of course, Sam Allardyce finished the season, there was talk of Corberan returning to Leeds because of course he worked there previously under Marcelo Bielsa, he got himself a new contract after 13 games only in charge of Albion as a result of that Leeds interest.
“One of the main reasons was because of the working relationship he had with Ron Gourlay and now he’s gone and clearly Leeds are in the market for a manager again because they’re not gonna stick with Allardyce in the Championship.
“So, whether Albion fans thought ill of Gourlay or not, he was at least a figurehead at the top of the club providing a degree of stability, now there is no CEO, two weeks today and we are in the middle now and will be very shortly, of a summer transfer window.
“And where that leaves West Brom moving forward as an entity and whether Corberan is still going to resist overtures from other clubs because I’m sure other clubs are gonna come calling for him, because of the job that he did taking Albion from the bottom to the near the top of the Championship.
“Tonight’s news of Gourlay’s departure has to throw Corberan’s up into the air as well.”
Dark cloud
Whether West Brom fans had something against Gourlay or not, his departure could well spell trouble for arguably their biggest asset right now.
The Spaniard has indeed done a terrific job in the West Midlands taking the club from relegation strugglers to play-off contention, ultimately finishing three points adrift of the top six in ninth place.
Indeed, Corberan’s record as manager certainly makes for good reading, winning 17 of his 33 games in charge and also holding an outstanding home record at The Hawthorns.
The interest in his services from Leeds United again was almost inevitable given the terrific job he’s done so far, but after Wednesday’s development, his future at The Hawthorns is now thrown into serious jeopardy which is incredibly bad news for West Brom.
No manager wants to work under a dark cloud or in conditions where he doesn’t have the trust of those above him, and that’s what Corberan possessed with Gourlay in charge, but now, all of that is gone which may sway the Spaniard into accepting Leeds United’s offer.
West Brom will need to find a way to give Corberan assurances he can improve the playing squad and that the club match his ambitions of pushing for promotion next season. Whether the board can provide those assurances is another matter, though. Gourlay’s departure makes all that very uncertain.
In other West Brom news, Carlton Palmer has given his seal of approval to a “very good” Baggies transfer target.