West Brom next manager: Lee Hendrie reacts to Steve Cooper news
West Brom are searching for a new manager after the departure of Tony Mowbray, but options may be limited.
The Baggies dismissed Mowbray after a dismal run of form saw them drop out of the Championship play-off places, and a change of direction is needed.
West Brom were dealt a blow when Carlos Corberan left mid-season to join Valencia, and they now need some stability after a chaotic season.
Former Nottingham Forest and Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has now been linked with the vacant role, but pundit Lee Hendrie has questioned whether this is the right move.
Hendrie questions Cooper to West Brom links
Cooper has been out of work since he was sacked by Leicester earlier this season, and dropping down to the Championship could be his ideal next move.
However, speaking to Football League World (24 April), Hendrie claimed that West Brom would not be a good move for Cooper, as they may not back him properly.
“I’ve said about the West Brom squad and players, they’re going to get to a stage where it is going to come up and catch them and bite them,” he stated.
“And I think that’s what it’s doing at the moment. It’s got to be the right fit for Cooper.
| Stat | Tony Mowbray |
| Matches | 17 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Goals | 19 |
| Conceded | 22 |
| Points per game | 1.12 |
“He’s proved what he’s done at Swansea, where he’s taken a good side [to the play-offs] — and they are a good side, there’s no doubt about that — but you’ve got to have the ability to take that club forward because it’s a big football club in the Championship.
“I don’t feel that they’ve strengthened in any way, so that’s why I kind of feel that they’re still probably on a backwards spiral.
“So, Cooper going in there, he will have his wits and he will know exactly what he’ll be going into.
“We’ve seen managers have gone in there and haven’t been successful, I’m sure Steve will be looking at a job where he knows that he can probably have a little bit more control.”
Hendrie then questioned whether Cooper would gain enough control at The Hawthorns.
“He had a bit of a bad time at Forest, but I don’t feel he had complete control of what he could do, what he could bring in,” he added.
“Personally, I’m not sure it would be the right fit for him.
“I think the Baggies would have to be looking at maybe someone else to come and take that job on.”
Cooper could inject new life into West Brom
Although he struggled with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Cooper is the manager who helped Forest earn promotion in the first place.
Cooper punched above his weight when he took Forest up in 2022, joining them when they were close to the relegation zone in the same season.
West Brom have a squad currently capable of challenging for the play-off places, and with stability under a manager with Cooper’s Championship experience, they could be right up there next season with a few tweaks in the summer transfer window.