Next West Brom manager: Talks planned with Swansea City boss and ex-Plymouth Argyle manager
More names are beginning to emerge in West Brom’s hunt to replace Carlos Corberan.
West Brom reportedly have plans to speak to two managers with Championship experience next week.
Baggies insider DOOD (@EyaWeGew) who had plenty of things correct in the summer before the news broke in the traditional media, provided an update on the managerial situation. West Brom are on the search for a replacement for Carlos Corberan, and their game with Derby County today (Sunday, December 29) is the second game of Chris Brunt's interim spell.
A net is being cast far and wide for Corberan's replacement, but according to Dood, there are talks planned with Swansea City boss Luke Williams, and Steven Schumacher next week. Williams and Schumacher are both 'highly regarded' and West Brom are keen to speak to the pair to see if they are interested in the job.
This is backed up by Chris Lepkowski, previously the head of media at the Hawthorns, and a former journalist for the Birmingham Mail, who says Williams has 'some support'.
Williams would perhaps be the more expensive of the two given that he is in work. He is under contract with Swansea until the summer of 2027 having only joined in January 2024.
The 43-year-old joined from Notts County in League Two, and so far he's overseen 43 league games. His record is 15 wins, 10 draws, and 18 defeats. Williams last season guided Swansea to a 14th-placed finish, and right now his side are 10th.
He came up against West Brom earlier in the season, losing 1-0 at the end of August. His previous experience before taking on the job at Swansea, was getting Notts County promoted from the National League, as well as a previous stint in charge of Swindon Town.
As for Schumacher, he has been out of work since being relieved of his duties by Stoke City in mid-September. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Potters, but they parted company with him after just just nine months. Stoke have since sacked his replacement Narcis Pelach, and could be looking in the same market as West Brom for a new manager.
Schumacher succeeded Ryan Lowe at Plymouth Argyle in December 2021, and guided them to the League One title in 2023. He had managed Plymouth for 22 games in the Championship following their promotion and had them in 16th, winning seven games. At the time of his sacking at Stoke, they had only played five games, and found themselves in 13th.
Speaking to the BBC in October, Schumacher spoke of his desire to return to management quickly, rather than take a break following his sacking. He spoke of his dream to one day manage his boyhood club Everton.
He said: I know when some managers get sacked, they need that time out to have a breather but I haven’t come out of it thinking I need a break, if anything, it’s given me a bit more fuel and fire in my belly.
"My dream job is the Everton job, so this is going to give me more fuel to say right, I’ve got someone to prove wrong now."
News of West Brom reportedly wanting to speak to Luke Williams and Steven Schumacher comes after an approach was reportedly turned down by Russell Martin. Lewis Cox, the West Brom reporter for the Express & Star has refuted the claims that Martin was interviewed however.
The recently axed Southampton boss reportedly had a conversation alongside his agent about what his contract would look like and what would be expected, but he was said to not be interested in the role.