West Bromwich Albion have reportedly identified Alex Neil as their preferred candidate to succeed Darren Moore.
It was recently reported by the Daily Mail that Alex Neil is the preferred candidate on West Brom’s shortlist as they consider Darren Moore’s permanent replacement at the Hawthorns.
Neil has done an outstanding job with Preston North End. The Lilywhites are just three points off the play-off places with seven games remaining. They lost their first game in 13 at the weekend.
The Baggies meanwhile, appear to still have an outside chance of securing automatic-promotion, but look most likely destined to finish in the play-off places in the Championship. Given that they are four and six points behind Sheffield United and Leeds respectively, James Shan’s men are going to need some sides to do them a favour.
And it just so happens that it appears to be Preston that will have a massive say on how the top of the table looks in the final weeks of the campaign.
Neil’s men host the Blades and Marcelo Bielsa’s side in the next week before facing West Brom next weekend. It is the kind of run, on paper, that could make or break Preston’s promotion hopes.
And it is also the kind of run that could leave Neil as the one standout candidate left on the Baggies’ wishlist. If he manages to oversee wins against Sheffield United and Leeds, he has opened the door for West Brom to put themselves right into the automatic-promotion discussion.
And while the Baggies will be hoping that he has an off day when the two sides meet at the Hawthorns, three wins out of three from that run would surely make it absolutely impossible for West Brom to pursue any other manager at the end of the season.
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