‘He’s got two clubs promoted’: West Brom urged to hire 41-year-old

Follow us on Google Discover

Former West Brom midfielder Nigel Quashie wants to see the Championship strugglers target ex-Bournemouth and Fulham manager Scott Parker after the sacking of Steve Bruce on Monday, speaking on Twitter. 

Bruce’s impressive track record in the second-tier was certainly a key factor in West Brom’s decision to hand him the reigns eight months ago.  

Now, Parker may be 20 years Bruce’s junior but, despite only beginning his managerial career in 2019, the former England international already accumulated two Premier League promotions to Bruce’s four. 

Parker’s Fulham defeated Brentford in the play-off final in 2020. His Bournemouth team went one step further in 2022, sealing second place behind his old employers.

And while a third promotion in four years would be a very big ask – unless Parker could do at the Hawthorns what Steve Cooper did at Nottingham Forest – there should be few concerns about this squad’s ability to climb up the table with a more tactically-astute, forward-thinking head coach at the helm. 

Who will replace Steve Bruce as West Brom manager?

“There’s no way West Brom should be in the relegation zone with these players,” Quashie says of a team containing the likes of Jed Wallace, John Swift, Karlan Grant and Okay Yokuslu.

“Another manager has left and makes you wonder why they can’t get the best out of this group. Time will tell whether it’s the managers or players because it doesn’t make sense.

“I would go for Scott Parker. He’s got two clubs promoted in his short time being a manager. You can spend or buy as many players as you want, (but) you still have to get the best out of them. He can relate more (to the players) being still young himself.”

According to reports, Michael Carrick, Carlos Corberan and Millwall boss Gary Rowett are the early candidates to replace Bruce at the Hawthorns. Former Burnley manager Sean Dyche is also in contention (The Mirror). 

Quashie, however, cannot see Dyche dropping down to the Championship at this stage of his career.

“I think he will get a Premier League job,” the 14-time Scotland international adds. “He’s been brilliant in terms of the size of Burnley compared to other Premier League clubs,”  

“I think the rest (after leaving Burnley) would’ve done him good. And he will want to test himself in the Premier League again.”