Matt Maher: Valerien Ismael must not let the gap with West Brom fans widen
Less than an hour had passed since the final whistle and Jack’s anger was simmering on the airwaves.
“I’m a home season ticket holder, I live in London and I’ll tell you what, I won’t be going back to a match until that manager is gone. Awful football. Awful,” he told BBC WM’s post-match phone-in.
Which club was he talking about? Villa? That might be understandable considering their run. Surely not Wolves? No, not them. The source of Jack’s frustration was Albion after last Saturday’s disappointing but by no means season-defining draw with Middlesbrough.
There might be a temptation to dismiss his view as extreme. After all, a quick glance at the Championship table shows Albion sitting third, six points behind second-placed Fulham admittedly but hardly facing a mountain this early in the season. The club's ticket office is unlikely to be swamped with calls from fans eager to return their tickets.
And yet there is, unquestionably, a growing disillusionment among some Baggies supporters at the failure of Valerien Ismael’s team to adapt and evolve. Everyone knew the 46-year-old had distinct ideas about how the game should be played but even so his stubbornness has been a little surprising.
After a strong start, Albion have won just three of their last seven fixtures. Grumbles from the stands are never pleasant for a manager to hear but from the club’s perspective, increasing apathy should be more concerning.
Three days before drawing with Middlesbrough, the Baggies beat Hull watched by the smallest attendance at The Hawthorns this season (though the 2,000 reduction on the previous low mark was exacerbated by a paltry away following). Transport difficulties can’t be the only explanation and it is somewhat jarring for crowds to be falling at a club in a promotion race, during a campaign which was supposed to be all about the return of supporters following the easing of Covid restrictions.
Ismael is still in the early stages of his reign and has signed a long-term contract. He is not under any serious pressure and with the results he has achieved, nor should he be. There are still a significant number of supporters prepared to give him time and patience.
But if he is to enjoy the success he craves at Albion, he cannot allow a disconnect with fans to further develop.
