Nigel Pearson is reportedly one of the managers that West Bromwich Albion are considering targeting this summer.
When Leicester City lost 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur in March 2015, the Foxes were left bottom of the Premier League table, seven points adrift of safety with just nine games to save themselves from falling back into the Championship after just one season in the top flight.
Most would have been forgiven for saying that Leicester were all but down. However, they produced the most incredible turnaround to pull off a great escape, winning seven and drawing one of those last nine fixtures to finish six points clear of the bottom three.
The man who masterminded that escape was Nigel Pearson – the man who The Sun on Sunday (25/03; page 63) recently suggested is now attracting West Brom’s attention as they brace themselves for probable relegation to the Championship.
The Baggies’ situation is more concerning than Leicester’s was, and a miraculous escape certainly does not look to be on the cards as they head back into Premier League action this weekend off the back of an eight match losing run.
But perhaps Pearson’s time as Leicester boss shows that he may be the right manager – if they decide to get rid of Alan Pardew – to help the club bounce back from this season by challenging for an immediate return to English football’s top table next term.
Pearson has not always got it right during his managerial career by any means, but he may be the ideal candidate to galvanise the club and help those who will remain from the current squad put this miserable season behind them.
Discipline appears to have been lacking at times this season, and Pearson would bring that in abundance as he looks to secure promotion out of the Championship for the second time in his managerial career.
After a terrible year, West Brom desperately need to stage a mass clear-out and attempt to start a new chapter. He may not be the long-term answer, but perhaps Pearson is the perfect manager to lead the club back to the top flight – presuming that they do not manage to put together the kind of run that his Leicester side did to stay up three years ago.
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