West Brom have reportedly made contact with former Brighton and Watford boss Oscar Garcia about becoming their new manager.
West Brom will have to move quickly if they want to replace Tony Pulis with Oscar Garcia. A source told FootMercato on Wednesday that The Baggies are interested in the former St Etienne coach after sacking Pulis on the back of two wins in their last 21 games.
The report, however, adds that another club are interested in acquiring the services of Garcia. But perhaps West Brom should consider exactly why the 44-year-old Spaniard finds himself on the job market before offering him the chance to take the reins at The Hawthorns.
Christophe Galtier lasted seven years at St Etienne before stepping down at the end of last season. His replacement, however, was at the helm for just five months.
And despite starting the season brightly, breathing fresh life into a side who had stagnated towards the end of Galtier’s reign, Garcia’s position became untenable after one disastrous derby defeat.
St Etienne hosted bitter Rhone rivals Lyon at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard at the start of the month and what followed was arguably the worst ninety minutes in the clubs history. A 5-0 home defeat was their heaviest ever derby loss and saw home fans invade the pitch after Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir held up his shirt to the cameras following the fifth and final goal.
Garcia resigned ten days later.
It was the sort of defensive collapse that would have given Tony Pulis nightmares. And while Garcia has plenty of experience in English football having coached both Brighton and Watford, West Brom would be brave to appoint Garcia on the back of a record-breaking defeat.
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