West Brom: Tony Brown issues ‘unthinkable’ Carlos Corberan verdict amid Shilen Patel takeover
Tony Brown has insisted that Carlos Corberan must stay as West Brom manager following the club’s takeover by Shilen Patel.
Speaking live on BBC Radio WM on 16 February the former Baggies forward said it would be “unthinkable” and “unbelievably sad” if the Spaniard was moved on by the incoming new owner after the work he’s done in difficult circumstances.
Alarm bells have been ringing within the fanbase after Tuttosport (12 February) in Italy reported that Torino boss Ivan Juric was being lined up to come in at The Hawthorns, and Brown is adamant that cannot happen.
Brown said (7.10pm): “They’ve got to back him, it would be unbelievably sad if they didn’t because he’s done a tremendous job, fantastic job, to get us where we are under the circumstances, the pressure that’s been on him.
“Because he has been feeling the uncertainty as well, he hasn’t been able to go out and make big signings to improve the squad. He’s had to work with what he’s got and to get them where they are in this fifth position is absolutely superb.
“He’s got to stay. He’s got to stay. It would be unthinkable to get rid of him, unthinkable.”
Tony Brown insists Shilen Patel must keep Carlos Corberan at West Brom
John Percy in The Telegraph (15 February) has reported that Corberan is safe following the takeover, and he absolutely needs to be.
West Brom were heading towards the third tier when he arrived last season and in the circumstances, with financial pressures and appalling injury luck stretching his squad thin, just consolidating in the Championship would be strong work.
But to have narrowly missed out on the play-offs last term after rescuing the club from the relegation battle, and then kept the Baggies well in the promotion race again now is extremely impressive.
The vast majority of the fanbase will be of exactly the same opinion as Brown, so it is hugely positive news that the Italian report appears to be wide of the mark.
Corberan surely has to be the starting point for the new era and so the idea that he would need to be removed to bring in a new regime under Patel is indeed “unthinkable”.
The manager was sent off early in the defeat to Southampton that followed, as he made a major error in touching a ball that wasn’t out of play on a night which didn’t really exhibit any of the qualities that have characterised his reign.
In other West Brom news, Reading supporters have reacted to the news that the Guochuan Lai era is coming to an end.
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