Hawthorns becoming managers' graveyard

Roberto Di Matteo walked into the Hawthorns as the king of Europe - but walked out with his head on a chopping block.

Pressure had been mounting on the Italian almost seconds after his appointment, made reluctantly, it seemed, by Roman Abramovic in the midst of a wave of media patronage asking for his promotion from interim boss after winning two trophies.

Walking into the the most vacated seat since musical chairs entered childrens' parties, Roberto Di Matteo took 'interim' charge of Chelsea on 4 March after the sacking of controversial duck look-a-like Andre Villas-Boas.

Di Matteo was never the choice of the draconian owner of Chelsea. That much was always clear and he hardly even needed this slight dip in form as the impetus to sack the Ballon D'or nominated manager.

But, as the now former Chelsea manager Di Matteo has found out once again, when the going gets tough, he gets goin'.

After seven losses in a row when in charge of West Bromwich Albion, Di Matteo was given the sack by Jeremy Peace - who was right to do it. After any manager, anywhere loses seven matches on the bounce they should be expecting the sack, whether they manage Manchester United or Kidderminster Harriers.

And, then in charge of a much superior set of players at Chelsea - with Abramovic forking out more than 80 million pounds this summer - he had a similar run of form, although nowhere near as obviously bad as seven defeats in a row and he found himself with p45 in hand.


Rumour has it that Di Matteo ensconced his team in their Hawthorns dressing room, and was heard to exclaim: "You couldn't even beat them." A slur which seemed a little out of place as 'them' were a team just behind them in the table.

His tenure at Chelsea was the kind of positions dreams are made of in the beginning. A selection of great players at disposal with a "it can't get any worse" remit. To be fair to Di Matteo, he did far better than anyone could have expected, collecting two trophies - one being the most coveted in Europe.

But when times get hard Di Matteo lacks the tactical nous to get teams out of it. Having experienced his stewardship at West Bromwich Albion, many Baggies can confirm he's not the man to stop the rot.


Di Matteo did what he was supposed to do at The Hawthorns in the promotion season. But it's very easy for people to call him a miracle worker when, simply, he took the best squad (Newcastle were the best team) up - following the work of Tony Mowbray and a great scouting job - which is now paying divedens with the latest win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Of course, it could have been messed up and many managers have done that on numerous occasions. But he only did what any number of manager could have done with that squad at his disposal. He did nothing out of the ordinary.

Another Hawthorns execution in what's becoming a longer line...

He's not the first manager to lose his job after a loss against West Bromwich Albion. He's not even the first Chelsea manager to lose his job after a loss at the Hawthorns.

The turbulent reign of Di Matteo's predecessor, and former boss Andre Villas Boas ended at The Hawthorns. His side went down 1-0 at The Hawthorns and he was correctly ousted after leaving an almost un-followable demolition job at Chelsea.

Mick McCarthy was sacked after his Wolverhampton Wanderers side was thrashed by Black Country derby rivals The Baggies. This time at the Molineux which became an unforgivable sin for Wolves fans as, it's bad enough they were vastly inferior, but to lose by that margin at home left a lot to be desired.

Whether a loss at the Albion is considered too embarrassing for some managers to continue in their roles is debatable. What isn't, is that managers seem to go often enough at the hands of the West Brom.

Why Albion shouldn't strive for Europa League

Disclaimer: I know this is getting well ahead of where WBA are, but something to ponder...


Europa League football is realistically the highest ambition West Bromwich Albion could have in terms of league finish - but one that they shouldn't strive to achieve.

Champions League football brings untold wealth, kudos and the chance to play in-front of a global audience. Europa League holds (seemingly colder than Tuesday and Wednesday) Thursday nights, in some cases hardly enough money to cover travel and a arduous 21 games to reach the final, of which upon winning you only gain qualification to the same competition.

And, luck depending, teams like Rubin Kazan could be awaiting in the draw which means a trip to central Russia -  around 4000kms away from West Bromwich - could await The Baggies if they managed to get a bad draw.

In all probabilities, much like Newcastle's efforts last season, Albion would valiantly go after glory and be pipped to the covetted Champions League spot by some under-performing North London side and then have an ardous year of European football that no-one is that bothered about.

A squad perfect for Premier League football would be stretched too far and buckle under pressure - the worst part being that The Baggies would probably play a second string and go out with a whimper like Stoke at Valencia.

That woud be the worst part: not actually going for it. Trophies are hard to win and Fulham's plight to the final shows that glory and silverware are there. The Premier League, however, has such a hold over cup competition's team selection that it's now accepted the Europa League is a feeder competition.

Stoke's record of finishing 14th, collecting 45 points - only nine points above the drop zone - during the 2010/11 season which was the same sort of points tally as they had achieved twice previously shows that progression is hard when competing with the Europa League.

It shouldn't be a problem. In all likeliness the great run will fade out as the league campaign goes on and mid table will welcome The Baggies with open arms. But the Europa League holds within it a hard, largely unfulfilling season. One with Steve Clarke's men should hope to avoid.

West Bromwich Albion find their bouncebackability beating Southampton

Boucebackability - a bad word coined by a bit of a bad manager, really, but it does aptly describe West Brom's performance yesterday against a beleaguered Southampton outfit.

Iain Dowie came up with the phrase originally during a Soccer AM interview to encapsulate a side's plight to quickly get over bad results - and, no matter how good or bad the wording is, the message is the same: good Premier League teams get over bad results quickly.

And that's what The Baggies have done.

I recently blogged that West Brom had dropped the perennial loser tag even after losses against Newcastle and Manchester City. They have acclimatised to the Premier League's demands if you are to be successful - in dusting down your top, straightening your shorts, getting the socks above or below the knee (fashion depending) and playing your way out of bad results.

Steve Clarke's men had been unlucky in previous results and had elements of luck in Monday's match against the Saints. Peter Odemwingie's handling of the ball in the build-up to the first goal was evident during replays,  but there was no luck about his second.

Nigel Adkins' troops can feel hard-done-by when thinking back to the first goal, even though it did get played from one side of the pitch to the other before Odemwingie's tame shot hit a lazy Maya Yoshida leg and the deflection proved too much for the sprawling - fourth keeper of the season - Paulo Gazzaniga.

Southampton's defensive frailties were once again signified by Albion's second. Liam Ridgewell pinged a perfect counter-attack ball to the rapid Shane Long - who terrorised Jose Fonte and Yoshida all night with quick, darting runs and intelligent play - whose in-swinging cross was plucked from the air by the lunging Odemwingie.

But, so many times, sides don't capitalise on weaknesses and Albion did. Southampton had their moments. Talisman Ricky Lambert should have done better with a header at goal from the six yard box. But, on the whole, the McOlsson axis of stand-in skipper Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley held firm.

Claudio Yacob was restored to central midfield alongside action-man partner Youssuf Mulumbu who should have taken the 'man of the match' award.

Too often are forward players who notch up a goal giving precedence over better performers because of the plaudits of goal-getters, and this is such a case. Mulumbu was diligent, hard working and passed around the pitch, long and short, with great authority. Not to mention bossing Morgan Schneiderlin on numerous occasions.

And here's West Brom, so long the nearly men, picking up the results they should be picking up. They deserve the equal fourth standings and fans are reveling in new found Premier League stability and status as "Pride of the Midlands, we know what we are."

Here's to Premier League mediocrity; long may it continue.