Help available for West Brom caretaker James Shan
Albion will wait until after Friday’s game with Birmingham City before officially adding staff to caretaker James Shan’s coaching team – but will give him as much help as possible this week.
The board have given Shan the next game to stake a claim for the rest of the season.
The performance, rather than the result, will be under close scrutiny from technical director Luke Dowling and chief executive Mark Jenkins.
If it is enough to convince the board to keep Shan in place, they will then look to appoint an experienced coach to help him see out the season.
Available coaches with an affiliation to Albion like Michael Appleton, Craig Shakespeare, Steven Reid and Kevin Phillips are expected to be under consideration.
Shan, who joined the club in 2006 as under-7s coach, will be consulted before any appointment is made and is expected to take the lead in any such relationship.
Albion will be mindful to not appoint anyone that undermines the 40-year-old’s authority.
And should he wish to bring in a new face this week on a temporary basis to help him prepare for Blues, that will be authorised.
Shan is currently operating with a skeleton staff. Loans manager Deon Burton and under-23s boss Jamie Smith have stepped up to help, while academy manager Mark Harrison has also helped on match days.
Shan is not being considered for the permanent job, and will just be asked to see out the season if necessary.
But having impressed in his two weeks in charge, Albion are keen to keep him employed beyond this season – ideally as a first team coach.
If Friday’s performance against Blues does not convince the board Shan should remain in place for the rest of the season, they will return to their managerial hunt.
There are eight days between the match against Garry Monk’s team and Albion’s next game, a trip to Millwall.
Contingency plans are being made in case Albion need to make an appointment, but Shan is currently in pole position to see out the season.
The caretaker boss has delivered two wins and two clean sheets from his two games in charge so far, leaving the Baggies 10 points clear of seventh and seven points off the top two.
Birmingham City arrive at The Hawthorns this week just five points clear of the relegation zone after being deducted nine points from the EFL for breaching profitability and sustainability rules.
