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Roy Hodgson favoured by West Bromwich Albion as Sam Allardyce rules out managing club
Sam Allardyce has distanced himself from West Bromwich Albion as the Midlands club officially began their search for a Roberto Di Matteo’s replacement.
Roy Hodgson remains the outstanding candidate if the club can convince him of their ambitions and financial muscle, with Chris Hughton, Derek McInnes and Sean O’Driscoll also under consideration.
The club have intimated that they will keep their options open regarding the type of replacement they bring in, with chairman Jeremy Peace ostensibly concerned with retaining their Premier League status above all else.
There are concerns that turning to a manager simply to avoid relegation would undermine their current continental approach to running the club.
Thus far West Brom have expressed support only for Michael Appleton, who has been promoted from first-team coach on a caretaker basis, but privately they consider Hodgson to be the ideal replacement for Di Matteo. The former Liverpool and Fulham manager is used to working alongside a director of football and, most importantly, would be available immediately without the need of a payoff. He ticks all of the boxes bar wage demands.
The 63 year-old certainly has the credibility required to impress the West Brom players and would be the steady hand required with the team outside the relegation zone only on goal difference. But West Brom are unlikely to be able to meet his wage demands, nor his ambitions on a long-term basis, as Peace is unlikely to break with a tradition of being careful with his finances.
With this in mind the club will also examine a move for St Johnston manager McInnes, who was one of those considered to replace Tony Mowbray 19 months ago but ultimately deemed to be too inexperienced, and former Newcastle manager Hughton.
O’Driscoll is another who would fit the bill. He already works under a director of football at Doncaster, Mickey Walker, and plays the right kind of football, but his childhood allegiance to Wolves could prove problematic with fans.
In the meantime West Brom are happy to talk up Appleton while they assess their options. The former West Brom midfielder has been coaching at the Hawthorns for five years and has the respect of the players.