Next West Brom manager: Fans want Ronald Koeman to replace Tony Pulis

The former Everton and Southampton manager topped an Express & Star poll that nearly 5,000 people voted in asking fans who they would like to see installed in the hot-seat should the Welshman get the bullet.

It’s understood chairman John Williams is now actively seeking a replacement for Pulis and more than a quarter of respondents (27 per cent) to our poll voted for the Dutchman out of a list of 11 candidates.

Koeman played and coached for both Ajax and Barcelona but is currently without a club following his sacking from the Everton job.

Former Baggies skipper and current Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes was second-favourite with 15 per cent of the vote while Dudley-born Sam Allardyce completed the top three with 13 per cent.

Albion chairman John Williams and chief executive Martin Goodman both worked with Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers.

McInnes is the frontrunner for the vacant Rangers job after taking Aberdeen to three successive second places in the Scottish Premiership.

Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini and former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchal received 10 per cent of the vote each.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill was next with seven per cent of the vote, but the Express & Star understands reports in the national press that the Baggies are lining him up as Pulis’s successor are wide of the mark.

O’Neill is currently in talks with the Scottish FA about the vacant Scotland job.

Two more former Baggies, Craig Shakespeare and Michael Appleton, received five and four per cent of the vote respectively.