Report: Four ex-West Brom men in contention to help Shan ahead of play-offs

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West Bromwich Albion are looking to make an appointment in the near future.

According to The Express and Star, West Bromwich Albion are hoping to appoint an assistant to interim boss James Shan ahead of the Championship play-offs.

The Baggies made the shock decision to sack Darren Moore last month, but have now won three in a row under Shan, having beaten Birmingham City on Friday night.

The Baggies are all but guaranteed of a play-off place now, and they aren’t quite out of the reckoning for an automatic spot just yet either, sitting six points adrift but running out of games to make up ground.

Shan has fared well so far, but the 40-year-old is in his first managerial spell, and The Express and Star claim that an appointment is being targeted to help him.

Four ex-Baggies are in contention to become Shan’s right hand man; Michael Appleton, Craig Shakespeare, Steven Reid and Kevin Phillips. The aim is for them to come in and give some additional experience to Shan for the rest of the season, which may well be key in the play-offs.

Appleton spent the final two years of his playing career with the club and then became caretaker in 2011. After a managerial career with Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United, Appleton went back to coaching at Leicester City, but left last summer and hasn’t returned to football.

Another ex-West Brom caretaker and former Leicester man is Shakespeare, who has also been out of work since the end of last season having left his post with Everton. Reid also played for the Baggies before turning to coaching, with the Irishman available having left AFC Wimbledon in December 2018.

Ex-striker Phillips was a goal machine for West Brom, and has coaching experience with Leicester, Derby County and Stoke City, whilst he’s available for free having left Stoke in January.

Any of them may be popular additions at The Hawthorns given their ties to the club, and it remains to be seen who West Brom bring back to the club as crucial play-off assistance to Shan.