As far as West Brom’s early managerial candidates go, Gary Rowett is certainly not the most glamorous name on the list. Rowett does not have Premier League or Champions League winners’ medals adorning his CV, like Michael Carrick.
He hasn’t taken an unfancied team into Europe, a la Sean Dyche. He didn’t hone his tactical talons under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, before dragging surprise packages Huddersfield Town to within 90 minutes of promotion. Carlos Corberan, we’re talking about you.
What Rowett has achieved, however, is three successive top-half finishes in the Championship with Millwall. A Millwall side who, under his stewardship, have consistently performed like a side far greater than the sum of their parts.
Now, compare that with West Brom.
The Baggies finished a point and two places behind Rowett’s snarling Lions in 2021/22, despite boasting a far more talented and expensively-assembled squad. It’s the same story in 2022/23. Millwall are 13th. West Brom 22nd.
A fact that looks even more impressive when you consider that, in July, the Baggies snatched Rowett’s most influential player upon the expiry of his contract at the Den. A man who, since the start of 2019/20, has contributed nearly 70 goals or assists in England’s second tier.
Will Gary Rowett and Jed Wallace be reunited at West Brom?
“He’s a top-quality Championship player,” Rowett said of one Jed Wallace, just four weeks before one of the EFL’s most consistently-impressive performers was shaking hands with Steve Bruce at the Hawthorns.
“Good luck to him. He’s been fabulous for me. He has got Premier League quality.”
The admiration between player and coach is certainly a two-way street. And amid reports from The Mirror suggesting that the Bromsgrove-born 48-year-old has joined Dyche and Corberan on West Brom’s managerial radar following Steve Bruce’s sacking on Monday morning, the excellent relationship between Wallace and Rowett will give the Baggies board plenty of food for thought.
“To be honest, the gaffer’s been unbelievable since he’s come in,” Wallace said back in 2020; Rowett having taken over a team sitting 17th before taking them to eighth.
“What I’ve enjoyed the most is that tactically we have a different game plan playing against every single team. We change formation, we change tactics, we change the way we’re going to press them from the opposition’s goal-kick. We change how we take corners depending on the opposition.”
There are a number of solid reasons why Rowett should be one of West Brom’s top targets. His relationship with Jed Wallace is just one of them.
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