Jeff Stelling launches ill-informed attack on West Brom staff after Reyes Cleary show vs Liverpool
Reyes Cleary has been drawing major attention since he left West Brom, and Jeff Stelling is now having his say.
West Brom offered Cleary a new contract in the summer. However, the young forward rejected that offer and joined League One side Barnsley to pursue first-team football.
Much has been said about the youngster’s departure from Albion, with him now bang in form for Barnsley and impressing in their FA Cup defeat against Liverpool on Monday.
Barnsley were beaten 4-1 by the defending Premier League champions, but the 21-year-old was the clear standout for Conor Hourihane’s side.
There are many reasons why Cleary didn’t stay at West Brom, but Stelling appears to know it all.
Jeff Stelling says West Brom staff were wrong about Reyes Cleary’s attitude
One of the main concerns about Cleary was his application at West Brom. There were regular rumours and reports online that the forward’s frame of mind wasn’t always the best.
Cleary even teased his West Brom exit on social media back in 2022, which never helped his own case of beating the claims of a spoiled attitude.
The Baggies do have a sell-on clause in the attacker’s contract with Barnsley, so everyone from a West Brom perspective will hope for him to keep his form up for the Tykes.
- Cleary scored over 50 goals for West Brom at youth level
- He made just seven senior appearances
- Cleary rejected a new contract after loan spells with Hartlepool United and Walsall
Stelling is a Hartlepool United fan and took to X on Monday after Cleary’s performance against Liverpool, claiming that his attitude was “unbelievable” and that the Englishman is great around young supporters.
A Baggies fan then responded to Stelling’s initial claim, disagreeing with him.
The West Brom supporter said: “West Brom staff would tell you the opposite. Good to see he’s turned things around.”
Stelling replied: “Well, they were clearly wrong.”
But given the clear evidence on Cleary’s issues when he was at the Black Country club, everyone at West Brom has more than enough reason to go against what Stelling is saying here.
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What if it doesn’t go to plan for Cleary?
West Brom supporters may feel aggrieved that Cleary walked away from the Albion, but he’s only had half a season of good performances.
There’s no real guarantee that he will go on to become the superstar that everyone is making him out to be, and given Cleary’s injury issues in the past, he could yet face further setbacks.
Nobody wants that, of course, and Albion’s financial strain may even be eased if Barnsley decide to sell Cleary in the January transfer window.
The truth is that West Brom could have done with Cleary in the situation that the Baggies currently find themselves in, but the writing appeared to be on the wall for Cleary early on at The Hawthorns.