My Column in Wednesdays Birmingham Mail
Why are West Bromwich Albion dilly dallying over appointing Darren Moore as the clubs new Head Coach? He has earned the opportunity 100%. Big Dave is a leader of men and that is absolutely vital in this football world were players can often be fragile. Any manager or coach needs his players onside, they have to respect him although not necessarily like him. Darren Moore has it all; they like him, they respect him and as we have seen they will run through a wall for him and definitely go the extra mile. In other words they want to do it for him. That is genuine motivation in its purest form.
The cynical journalist in me wonders if Darren’s unexpected success has somewhat surprised the board and perhaps upset their plans to appoint a replacement for Alan Pardew as I am sure he would not have been on their original list of potential candidates.
Now surely he has to be top of the short list. In my view it will be criminal for him not to get the job as he could not have done any more than he has. As well as the amazing results that have restored the pride in the fans he has also brought class to the club in the way he conducts himself and the way he speaks.
So let’s look at it
1) He has turned the club around from a losing club into one with a winning mentality.
2) The players have responded to him and want him to have the job.
3) He is a leader of Men.
What more is there to think about?
I have heard all the negative stuff such as what about if he gets the job and fails he will then lose his legend status with the fans? Absolute nonsense he will always be a fans favourite because he epitomises every single one of them with the way he played, his never say die attitude and always giving 100% for the shirt. As a manager he’s the same demanding that same commitment and hard work as the minimum requirement.
We need young bright English managers to get their opportunity and even more so when, like Darren, they have earned it. Remember Bournemouth took a chance on Eddie Howe and look how successful he has been.
Whatever happened last night in the game between Swansea and Southampton, and hopefully it would have been a draw, the turnaround in results and atmosphere at West Bromwich Albion has been nothing short of awesome and to have even possibly taken the battle for survival to the last day is simply stunning. Especially when at one time everyone, and I mean everyone, thought Albion were doomed to the Championship.
In my opinion Albion’s board will bring a load of problems to their door if they don’t appoint Big Dave. So do it now as prevarication is the killer of time.