Shilen Patel faces ‘massive West Brom risk’ if he wastes time on Mowbray replacement
West Brom’s defeat against Derby County on Monday effectively ended their season.
The Baggies dropped out of the top six under Tony Mowbray, and after another defeat against Coventry City, their chances were slim.
However, results went their way on Monday, and a victory against relegation-threatened Derby would have kept hopes alive at The Hawthorns.
Nevertheless, defeat on home turf has left Albion needing a miracle to reach the play-offs and instead, supporters feel like all the hard work this season has been wasted.
Shilen Patel wasted no time in making the call to sack Mowbray, with his struggles since replacing Carlos Corberan very clear.
West Brom have decisions to make
Corberan’s departure from the Black Country left West Brom in the lurch, and although Mowbray knows the club well, his second spell did not work out the way it was hoped.
It makes sense why Patel made the decision to sack Mowbray now, because it means he can have a new boss in place for the summer transfer window, ready to shape the squad in a way that suits them.
There have already been several names linked with the role, including the likes of Gary O’Neil, Steve Cooper and Liam Rosenior, all of whom show ambition and a look towards the top six again next season.
With the call coming ahead of the summer window, the right decision must be made as it will shape the immediate future of the club.
Patel doesn’t have as much time as he thought
The West Brom chief previously showed that he is not someone who will be quick to rush a decision over the manager, hence why it took a while to settle on the appointment of Mowbray.
With two games left until the end of this season, too, the pressure is not immediately on when it comes to bringing in a new boss.
| Position | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points |
| 10 | 44 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 60 |
However, Patel can’t afford to take too much time, and the longer he ponders, the bigger the risk he faces ahead of him.
Albion aren’t the only side in the hunt for a new boss. Newly relegated Southampton need a manager, and Leicester City are likely to be in a similar position soon too.
Norwich City have now parted ways with their boss, while Swansea’s Alan Sheehan is only in the caretaker role as it stands.
With several yet to fall at the final hurdle of the play-offs, there could soon be new names in the fold too, meaning competition already is, and will continue to be, high.
West Brom know their fate, though, and Patel is well aware of what the ambitions are for next season, as well as the budget available to achieve such aims.
Missing out on the play-offs is sore for the Baggies, but the chief has to use the advantage they have of knowing their fate to strike a good deal with a boss before the market is over-crowded.