3rd
October 2005: In recent weeks, the majority of West Bromwich
Albion fans have become increasingly frustrated with Bryan Robson's
team selections and tactics. He ultimately produced a miracle to keep
the Baggies in the Premiership, thereby confirming his legendary status,
but it seems to many that he has now lost the plot. Having said that,
it is by no means clear that the logical step, to some at least, of
replacing the manager will or, indeed, should take place.
Let me first look at why I believe Robson will not be leaving the
club any time soon. First of all, Robson is not a quitter and I'm
sire he has the self-belief that he will drag the Baggies clear
of relegation. Secondly, I cannot believe that Jeremy Peace will
sack him.
The chairman has sacked one manager, why not another? The differences
between the situation now and the one twelve months ago are enormous.
First of all, Peace and Megson had had several public disagreements
and it was clear that a parting of the waves was on the cards. Moreover,
JP's decision to dismiss the manager was down to, predominantly
if not entirely, Megson's announcement that he was to leave the
club at the end of the season. It is true that poor results and
dressing room unrest may have ultimately led to GM's departure,
but it was that announcement that forced the chairman into a decision.
This time around, however, we have a manager that was appointed
by JP and has been in the job less than twelve months. Peace will
not want to admit failure just yet, especially given that Robson
did keep the Baggies up last season. He will look at other clubs
such as Sunderland and Southampton whose chairmen acted hastily
in dismissing managers and sparked off a downward spiral for their
respective club's fortunes. Moreover, Megson's influence was fully
imprinted on the club and it had been found wanting at Premiership
level - having spent last season fire-fighting, he will argue that
Robson's impact has not yet been fully realised.
Additionally, of course, there are the huge financial implications
of removing Robson, both in terms of paying his contract and providing
a new manager with some funds in January to bring in his own players.
And last, but not least, there is the small matter of finding a
new man to guide the club to success.
As to whether Robson should be sacked, there are a number of reasons
that would seem to support such a decision.
In a nutshell, one can point to five defeats in six premiership
games, second bottom in the Premiership and the manager's apparent
inability to pick the right team and the right tactics to get results.
We have, of course, been here before. On Boxing Day last year,
Albion had suffered six defeats in seven games, were bottom of the
Premiership and Bernt Haas had played in three of the last four
games. Albion fans were calling for Robson to be sacked. But, a
sneaky result at Man City kicked off a revival that, although it
stuttered more than once, was ultimately successful.
It is a different situation now but there are obvious parallels.
Haas did not play again, Purse was belatedly identified as a weak
link and Robson did get a dismal team that was seemingly destined
for relegation playing decent football. It is true that the introduction
of Campbell and Richardson was a timely boost, but Robson and Pearson
were the architects of the recovery. In the current situation, Johnson
has been dropped (although it is too early to say whether this is
permanent) and Robson has been quoted with what could be interpreted
as a veiled criticism of Wallwork. After Saturday's game, he said
in relation to the second goal: "Okay, Curtis made the mistake,
but he shouldn't ever have been put in that position. We should
have been attacking." It was Wallwork who played the square
hospital pass to Davies rather than playing the ball forward.
I may be putting two and two together to make five, but they are
signs that Robson may, just may, be heading in the right direction.
It may only be a matter of time until we see the side the fans want.
It can be rightly said that Albion do not have too much time, but
the experience of last season suggests that Robson prefers to give
players the benefit of the doubt, and it is understandable that
he is giving the players he believes served him so well last term
the time to get back to their best. We can hope that Johnson's time
is up and that Wallwork and Campbell are close to, if not over,
the edge.
I'm not blind to Robson's tactical and selection errors, but neither
was I last season. Ultimately, he did get it right and, while there
was a significant slice of luck to the Great Escape, nobody can
deny that Albion played some great football in the second half of
last season. Who's to say that he won't get it right again?
Of course, there are no guarantees but, in my opinion, his performance
last season entitles him to more time. He deserves time to put it
right. Although many chairmen have done it in the past, eight games
into a season is far too early to consider sacking a manager, particularly
one that performed miracles just a few months ago.
I do not believe that Bryan Robson will leave the club anytime
soon because there are too many reasons for Jeremy Peace not to
make the decision. Moreover, I do not believe that Bryan Robson
should be replaced. It would be a costly decision for the club and,
with the time it would take to find and bed in a new manager, we'd
almost certainly be in a similar position to last season come Christmas.
Furthermore, Robson deserves a chance to get it right and I, for
one, believe that he will get it right.
Some Albion fans may denounce me as a delusional optimist who can't
see what needs to be done, but the fact that the press at large
are not reporting Robson as under pressure should lend credence
to my view that he is not about to go, if not the reasons why.
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