Premier League Hopefuls Sack Manager After Four Defeats in Five Games

Premier League Hopefuls Sack Manager After Four Defeats in Five Games

Rene Otinga
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:55 PM
  • West Brom are in the hunt for a new manager after parting ways with Valerian Ismael, who only managed eight months with the Baggies
  • The club, who were tipped to challenge for Premier League promotion, has suffered four defeats in their last five matches
  • Ismael who joined from Barnsley in 2021, leaves with the club only holding on to the playoff places through goal difference

Promotion hopefuls West Brom have sacked manager Valerian Ismael after only eight months in charge.

Ismael was doing an impressive job in keeping the Baggies in pace with the top clubs in the Championship until recent weeks.

After a run of four defeats in their last five games, West Brom have dramatically slipped to fifth place and are only occupying a playoff place through goal difference.

West Brom
The Baggies have sacked manager Valerien Ismael after four defeats in their last five games. Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC.
Source: Getty Images

Through a statement on the club’s official website, West Brom said:

“West Bromwich Albion Football Club can confirm Valérien Ismaël has today left his position as head coach.”
Assistant head coach Adam Murray has also departed The Hawthorns.”
"The club would like to place on record its thanks to Valérien and Adam for their efforts and wishes them well in the future.”

West Brom have been the topsy curvy club of English top-flight, having suffered relegation twice in the last four years.

The downfall of Ismael

There was a lot of optimism surrounding the appointment of Ismael, as West Brom had to pay his former club Barnsley £2million in compensation to appoint him.

As per Daily Mail, the gaffer’s tenure has been hampered by fallouts with senior players including England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, forward Jordan Hugill and midfielder Robert Snodgrass.

Their latest 2-0 defeat to Milwall was the final straw for Ismael, who was on borrowed time during that game on January 29.

The result left West Brom eight points off automatic promotion places.

Barcelona officially announce Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

In transfer news, Spanish giants Barcelona finally announced Pierre-Emerick Auabmeyang, who secured a free transfer from Arsenal on transfer deadline day.

The La Liga giants have also etched a €100 million buyout clause in the deal as he now joins the club’s first team at the Camp Nou.

Aubameyang’s move to the Catalan giants ended his six-week nightmare that saw him frozen out of the Arsenal first team and stripped off captaincy over disciplinary issues

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Rene Otinga
Rene Otinga is a sports journalist with over eight years of working experience in digital media. Rene's experience includes working as a Copywriter at X News Kenya and TUKO.co.ke.
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