Comment: Removing Tony Pulis is only half the issue for West Brom

Anger has spread from the snake-pit of social media to the more relevant barometer of fans in the stands.

Board members have this week fielded questions on the head coach from irate supporters at The Hawthorns and the man himself feared the bullet after last weekend’s dismal defeat to Huddersfield.

In the vacuum of the international break, the importance of the home game with Chelsea next weekend is growing.

Chinese owner Guochuan Lai will be there for a pre-planned visit, and there are many who feel an inadequate performance could mark the end for Pulis.

But it is not that simple to cut the cord. Sacking a manager is just half the job, and the easy half at that.

Appointing a suitable and superior successor is far more difficult and there is no point swinging the axe if the man you bring in is worse.

As Tony Brown, Albion's all-time record appearance maker and goalscorer, put it during his commentary at the John Smith’s Stadium, supporters always call for who they want out, but they never call for who they want in.

When Dan Ashworth was technical director, he said the board had a constant list of potential managers they would appoint in the eventuality the position became vacant.

It’s highly likely the current regime have already earmarked potential successors to Pulis because it would be a dereliction of duty if they hadn’t with the atmosphere among the fanbase so toxic and the team on a run of two wins in 20 league games.

But the question still remains, who is worth the risk?

Premier League experience is always preferable, and inexperience in the top tier will – rightly or wrongly – count against potential candidates from the Championship like Derby’s Gary Rowett, Fulham’s Slaviša Jokanović and Bristol City’s Lee Johnson.

Not that all Premier League experience is welcome. Available managers like Francesco Guidolin, Aitor Karanka, Slaven Bilic, and Frank de Boer have not done enough at this level to warrant the gamble.

It would be easier to appoint a manager out of work, but the desirable ones that are available may be reticent to come.

Former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel is holding out for a big six job but there may be more joy attempting to woo Ronald Koeman – who did well with at Southampton – and needs to rebuild his career following his Everton debacle.

Supporters will naturally lean towards those with affiliation to the club, and there’s no doubt the fanbase could use a familiar face to get behind.

Derek McInnes is pulling up trees with Aberdeen but is being heavily coveted by Rangers and struggled south of the border with Bristol City. What’s more, Scottish football is not the same level as the Premier League.

Craig Shakespeare is also available, but only has 26 games in charge of Leicester on his managerial CV.

Gary Megson is already at the club, but hasn’t been in a hot-seat since 2012 and hasn’t managed at this level since 2009 and eight years is a long time in football.

The initial groundswell of optimism coupled with such an appointment will soon be lost if results and performances don’t pick up.

Good will from the stands helps any manager settle in, but it doesn’t guarantee success and they must be vetted as rigorously as anyone else.

Other options include Walter Mazzarri, who only won 12 of his 41 games at Watford, Sam Allardyce, who might not represent the shift in style supporters want, and Brendan Rodgers, who is unlikely to be tempted away from Celtic.

There are plenty of possibilities then, but no obvious stand-out candidates, and none without risk.

On top of that, it’s worth remembering Pulis is an old-school manager who has moulded the club in his image over the past three years.

He has his own scouts, his own coaches, his own methods, and runs the club like a manager rather than a head coach as much as he can.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that he has built a strong foundation at the club, who have in turn, invested fully in him.

Removing him is far more difficult than removing a manager from a club like Southampton or Watford, where the head coach is interchangeable because philosophy comes from higher up.

That, coupled with the risks attached to any new appointment, is partly why no decision has been made yet.

Fans may be growing impatient with the board, but if Pulis's reign is indeed on life-support, then it’s worth giving them time to make the right call. Because the decision to sack him is only half the issue.