Carlos Corberan delivers ‘pity’ verdict to West Brom as Ron Gourlay exchange detailed

West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan has admitted it was a ‘pity’ to see Ron Gourlay depart as the club’s CEO but is optimistic about the future.

The Spaniard has returned to West Brom’s training ground to welcome back his squad for pre-season training, with friendlies to follow over the coming weeks.

An opportunity was had to refresh and spend time with loved ones, but now the time has come to prepare for the important 2023/24 campaign that lies ahead.

Firstly, though, the gaffer was keen to address the adjustment to the boardroom structure at The Hawthorns, giving supporters some much-needed clarity.

Gourlay officially left as CEO at the end of May and was replaced by Mark Giles, who stepped up from being Managing Director. Ian Pearce remains Head of Recruitment.

“First of all, I would like to thank Ron Gourlay for the work he was doing here with us in the club,” Corberan said in an interview with WBA TV.

“The fact that I am here at the club is part of his decision because I was having meetings with him and Ian Pearce before I arrived.

“I need to thank him for his determination to bring me to West Bromwich Albion and he made me very proud to be here.

“However, in life, you have to adapt to different situations. Football is exactly the same. We need to adapt to the new challenges and the new scenario.

“Ron left, and Mark is the replacement. Mark, for me, is very important because he is someone from inside the club and someone who knows the values of our club very well.

“He has been working for close to 20 years in the club and he knows what it means to be a West Bromwich Albion fan and support the club. He’ll know every detail perfectly.

“I’ll keep working closely with Ian Pearce and that’s important because it gives us stability in the project and in the idea that we developed seven months ago.

“It’s a pity to not have Ron as part of the process anymore, but at the same time, we have someone in Mark who I know will support the work I do with Ian.

“We need to make everything work well,” Corberan continued.

West Brom have just over two weeks left until they take on their first announced pre-season fixture, against Shrewsbury on July 15.

That particular game will be behind closed doors but a clash away at Cheltenham Town on July 18 has tickets available for supporters via the Albion website.