Simon Jordan shares ‘Enormous’ West Brom verdict live on talkSPORT
Simon Jordan has used West Brom as an example of a Championship club that failed to get promoted to the Premier League early after relegation, leaving them with an enormous wage bill.
The former Crystal Palace owner was defending the effectiveness of parachute payments when clubs are relegated, pointing out that it is not a guarantee that a club will come straight back up.
This has come amid suggestions that Leeds, Leicester and Southampton have an unfair advantage due to the payments, despite plenty of examples to the contrary.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [22 February, 11:12], Jordan ranted: “How about Sunderland, Watford, Middlesbrough, Cardiff, Birmingham, West Brom, Hull, Coventry, Norwich, Stoke, QPR – all sitting in the Championship and not going back up again.
“How about that statistic? It’s not a given, but the balance of probability is that the teams that come down, because they come down with better players and better squads, also come down with enormous wage bills that need some sort of solution.
“You’re carrying a wage bill that’s twice, or double or three times the cost implications now.”
West Brom are an example of what can happen in the Championship
Having been named alongside clubs like QPR, Cardiff and Birmingham, West Brom’s position in terms of league position looks relatively comfortable – despite the situation behind the scenes.
The club saw first-hand this season the effect that parachute payments can have, with those ending at the start of the season, putting Albion into a perilous financial position.
Players on big wages remain on those large wages now, such as Kyle Bartley and Matt Phillips, with the club said to be keen to shift those players when their contracts expire this summer.
The takeover by Shilen Patel, which is set to be fully confirmed, has made the horizon look much brighter at The Hawthorns, though.
Those contracts are what Jordan speaks about when explaining why those payments are so necessary. If the club had been managed better by the ownership, the situation could have been handled, but the risk is high, and without the parachute payments, clubs would be in trouble.
In other West Brom news, Mikey Johnston must start against Hull.
For more West Brom news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.