Get a New Head Coach
I genuinely feel sorry for Alan Pardew. He inherited an un-balanced squad, with very little in the way of attacking talent, that was ridiculously low on confidence.
Added to that, he was given little in terms of funding in the January transfer window, so it’s safe to say he has had his work cut out.
However, with everything’s that happened in the last couple of weeks, its evident that he’s lost the dressing room, which has now turned his position into one that’s simply untenable.
A new head coach is needed ASAP to bring back order among the players and to hopefully have that ‘new manager’ bounce in regards to the results.
Complete overhaul of player recruitment
Albion have never found a fitting replacement for ex-sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth.
Ever since Ashworth left for the FA in 2012, the club have seriously struggled in the transfer market. The club had great success in scouring the lower leagues and Europe’s more ‘obscure’ leagues for talent under Ashworth, but ever since he left, the approach changed to ‘Premier League proven’ and to put it simply, it hasn’t worked whatsoever.
An overhaul of the player recruitment team is clearly needed and an approach similar to the one Ashworth and his team took, needs re-instating.
Get rid of the deadwood
Tying into the previous point made, bringing in ‘Premier League proven’ players, on paper, seemed a logical approach to take.
The reason I think it has failed, though, is due to the fact we have never been willing to splash the cash to bring in real, genuine quality.
The likes of Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore, Allan Nyom and to a lesser extent Jay Rodriguez, were all players that were deemed surplus to requirements by teams of similar standing to ourselves. Hardly inspiring.
Under Ashworth we were bringing in players with potential and a point to prove that they had what it takes to make it in the Premier League.
Give more youngsters a chance
One of the very (very!) few shining lights this season has been the emergence of Sam Field.
The 19-year-old midfielder has started half a dozen or so games this season and has looked every bit a Premier league player when given the opportunity.
However, since Pardew was appointed, he has seen very little playing time, much to the disappointment of the Albion faithful.
Pardew has used the excuse that, due to our testing circumstances, youngsters may find opportunities hard to come by, however, when Field has played, he’s been one of the best players on the pitch.
Some clarity as to what the owners ambitions actually are
So, what is Guochuan Lai’s ultimate aim for the club?
He obviously wants to remain in the Premier League in order to cash in on the lucrative TV rights money, but is that it?
Just use the club as a cash cow to line his pockets and do as little as possible in order to achieve that?
That’s what it looks like his aim is currently.
At no point whatsoever has he come out and said anything with regards to what he wants to achieve as owner of the club, which is very worrying.
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