Ivan Juric update emerges amid links to post-takeover West Brom job in place of Carlos Corberan
Ivan Juric is very likely to be leaving Torino at the end of the season when his contract expires amid links to the job at West Brom, according to Torino Granata.
The Italian outlet wrote on their website on 12 February that the Croatian is expected to move on if the Serie A side, currently 10th, don’t qualify for Europe, although a rethink is possible.
Links to The Hawthorns emerged earlier the same day as TuttoSport claimed that an American buyer of the club, likely to be front running bidder Shilen Patel, is minded to clear out current staff and has readied a contract offer for Juric.
But Torino Granata suggest that the 48-year-old is ambitious and is sure to want a club who can match that, so West Brom may not be able to tempt him if they are not promoted to the Premier League.
Carlos Corberan success to lead to exit at West Brom?
It looks fairly obvious that the last person who needs replacing at The Hawthorns is Carlos Corberan in light of the work he is currently doing.
The irony of potentially needing to secure a return to the top flight to be in the running for Juric is that the current manager is the primary reason that is even a realistic possibilty.
Steve Bruce had West Brom heading for a relegation to League One before the Spaniard came in last season, so while there has to be some heavy scepticism around reports that he might get removed either way it seems hugely unlikely that he would be replaced if he succeeds in going up.
With the Baggies currently fifth in the Championship a play-off place looks a good bet as this stage, but the context in which he has achieved that – the financial issues, the lack of investment in the squad, the takeover uncertainty, the endless injuries – makes talk of bringing a new coach in concerning.
Juric may be a solid manager, and a promotion to Serie A with Crotone on his record is clearly an achievement, even though getting sacked three separate times by the same team, Genoa, in two and a half years is just as bizarre.
But considering how hard it can be to strike it right with a coach who gets results it seems like madness to contemplate getting rid of one for no obvious reason, so if Patel is indeed thinking about the possibility he should reconsider.
In other West Brom news, a former Aston Villa player leapt to the defence of a Baggies ace in the face of journalist criticism.
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