Former Manchester United coach Rene Hake linked with West Brom role

The 53-year-old was most recently assistant to Erik Ten Hag at Manchester United but left Old Trafford in November after the former United boss was sacked. He only joined Ten Hag as assistant in the summer.

Hake's previous experience has come solely in his homeland. He was a long-term youth coach but had top jobs at FC Emmen, FC Twente, FC Utrecht and most recently Go Ahead Eagles, who he departed for England last summer after achieving European qualification.

Reports claim Hake is one of three candidates in line for the head coach role at The Hawthorns vacated by Carlos Corberan on Christmas Eve.

It is understood Albion are advanced in their interview process, though an appointment is seen as unlikely in time for Saturday's FA Cup third round tie at Bournemouth. The club want the new man in place ahead of the following game, at home to Stoke in the Championship.

Albion owners Bilkul Football have cast their net wide in the first head coach appointment of their near-12 month stint in charge at The Hawthorns. Andrew Nestor, who is sporting director, is fronting the process. Others, such as Swiss coach Raphael Wicky, have attracted strong speculation.

Hake is currently out of work and it is believed Albion's preference is an out-of-work appointment, though the club would be willing to pay compensation should the right candidate emerge.

Hake stayed on to support Ruud van Nistelrooy following Ten Hag's dismissal but left upon the appointment of Ruben Amorim. Van Nistelrooy has since been appointed at Leicester.

The Dutchman, whose playing career was limited to youth football, is not the first name among potential candidates with no extensive experience in the English game.

Hake achieved finishes of 13th and seventh with Twente in the Dutch Eredivisie. His next job at the helm brought efforts of eighth and 10th in the Dutch second tier with SC Cambuur.

More recently he was appointed as Utrecht boss in the top flight after a caretaker role and ended 2020/21 sixth in the Eredivisie but was dismissed in the March of his first full season in charge.

Hake's most recent job in a leading role, at Go Ahead Eagles in The Netherlands, included two full campaigns and finishes of 11th and ninth.

Though his spell at the unfancied side ended in style with play-off success over former club Utrecht to land European football last May.