BEVERLY HILLS, December 17, (THEWILL) –Â Sam Allardyce has been appointed as the new head coach of English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion with the signing of an 18-month contract. The contract includes a break clause at the end of the season if West Brom is relegated.
The 66-year-old, who is in his first managerial role since being sacked by Everton in 2018, fills the role vacated when Slaven Bilic was dismissed on Wednesday after the Baggies drew 1-1 at Manchester City on Tuesday.
About the appointment of Allardyce, Luke Dowling, West Brom’s Sporting and Technical Director, said: “In Sam, we have a man who has a proven Premier League pedigree with a track record of improving every club he has managed.
“We believe and, more importantly, Sam believes we have a group of players that have the quality needed to give the club its best chance of Premier League survival.”
In truth, the Baggies have laboured to acquire stability since returning to the top flight of English football this season. They have only won once which was against the club at the bottom of the log, Sheffield United. They are stuck second from bottom but such is the tightness of the League this season that they are only two points behind 17th-placed Burnley.
Allardyce, who has coached quite a number of teams in the Premiership like Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, and West Ham, sees this as an ideal opportunity for him to return to football after more than two-and-a-half years away. He is promised a seven-figure bonus if West Brom can avoid relegation.
Though currently still at his residence in the North West, he will be required to undergo a coronavirus test before he can travel to the Midlands and enter West Brom’s secure eco-bubble if confirmed to be negative.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
