Championship club set to hire Alex Neil as new manager
Alex Neil is on the verge of being appointed as Millwall’s new manager as the West Brom position remains vacant, according to The Telegraph.
John Percy reported on 27 December that “the finishing touches” are being put on Neil’s contract at the Den, having impressed in talks with Millwall following Neil Harris’ departure.
Neil is named by BetVictor as a 33/1 outsider to succeed Carlos Corberan at The Hawthorns following the Spaniard’s departure to Valencia on Christmas Eve, having previously been linked with the role.
However, those links back in the summer of 2021 haven’t swayed Neil back towards the West Midlands after he left Stoke last December, with the 43-year-old instead heading to East London and The Den.
West Brom fans will breathe sigh of relief after Alex Neil news
Although Neil has built his managerial career upon being a solid option for a second-tier club, Albion have higher ambitions following promotion pushes under Corberan.
Finishing fifth last term and starting the current campaign in red-hot form, the Baggies currently sit eighth in the table following a run of 10 draws in 14 before Corberan’s departure from The Hawthorns.
Neil does have a Championship promotion via the play-offs on his CV, but that success with Norwich City is fast approaching its tenth anniversary and his record since is less than impressive.
Preston were almost exclusively mid-table during the Scot’s time at Deepdale, finishing seventh in 2017-18, and he left Sunderland after promotion from League One only to be sacked by Stoke 15 months later.
As a result, Albion fans will be glad to see that it’s Millwall, currently five places below them in the table, who have landed on Neil as their new manager, leaving Shilen Patel to pursue more ambitious options.
In other West Brom news, a newly-monied Premier League club could return for one of Albion’s star men in the January window.
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.