Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
West Brom fight to keep Michael Appleton away from Portsmouth
Friday 4th November 2011, 10:30AM GMT.
West Brom were today facing a fight to keep assistant boss Michael Appleton after Portsmouth made him their top choice to be their new manager.
South Coast sources claim Appleton has been interviewed for the Fratton Park hot-seat and impressed Pompey officials so much he has leapt to the top of their shortlist to succeed Steve Cotterill.
But West Brom will strive to keep the 35-year-old, who has been groomed as a coach for the last eight years and is seen by the hierarchy as a future Hawthorns boss.
The Baggies don’t want to lose Appleton, who has risen through the club’s coaching ranks since ending his playing career at the age of just 27 and is now head coach Roy Hodgson’s right-hand man, after a spell as caretaker boss.
It’s likely chairman Jeremy Peace and sporting director Dan Ashworth will do everything they can to persuade Appleton to stay with the club he joined from Preston a decade ago in a £750,000 deal.
To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.
Sponsored Links
UK Sport
Latest Blog — Microsoft Comes to the University of Wolverhampton
Last week Microsoft visited the University of Wolverhampton to give students the chance to develop their own phone apps that could be published on the Windows Phone Marketplace.
Technology blog
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
If our management team rate him highly, he must be persuaded to stay. Continuity is important as is stability. Boats, rocking, don’t, all spring to mind.
Report abuse
I love ‘Appy – both as a player and for what he has given to the club since 2001….but….
Firstly I think it’s right that he should follow up on opportunities like Pompy – it’s better to get management experience in the championship than dive straight in at the prem.
Secondly, and this may be contentious… but I’m not certain that he should replace Roy as and when he stands down. Its a snap call but he didn’t cover himself in glory when he stood in (like Nigel pearson did after Robbo left) and I just think if we are still in the premiership when Roy leaves we would attract managers with more experience.
What I think I’m saying is….. good luck Appy – hope you get it !!
Report abuse
This makes me a bit nervous, a very important cog in a pretty well oiled wheel
Report abuse
At least he is showing ambition.
I know its only a sideways move at the moment with only a similar sized tranfer bujdet, but Pompy are a big club and the guy obviously wants self improvment.
Good luck to him i say.
Problem…
Who will now do all the talking to the press about poor proformances and team affairs ?
At least Appys heart was in it. Unlike Roy.
Report abuse
From what I’ve heard our chairman has stopped Appleton being named as boss of Portsmouth today as the compensation offered does not meet our valuation. I have team news for Saturdays game too which I’ll share later on. The team I have heard will cause a lot of discussion
Report abuse
Nigel Pearson should have been persuaded to stay too. He’s doing well with Hull. ‘Appy was aware he wasn’t getting the job after diMatteo or he may have been a touch more cautious when 3-0 up against West Ham. It’s all speculation anyway, but he’s doing nearly all the media contact already.
Report abuse
5.InsideMan. Let’s have it now mate. Summat to talk about ay it?
Report abuse
His comments in the past have shown that he’s ambitious,but something here doesn’t sound right-
the story says that Albion have him in line as our future Manager,and yet with RH indicating he’ll retire in the Summer,Appy is apparently trying to get the pompey job.
There’s either a lack of communication,or the so called ‘sources’ are just rumours.
Anyway,if the Baggies decide to bring in the next Manager from outside the club,whoever it is might want to choose his own assistant.
As always,I’ll think about it more seriously if something actually DOES happen,until then there may be nothing solid to the story.
Report abuse
4 Lonely-
I’ve heard that wolves approached Appy as well (for when Mick goes),they said they know he likes a challenge,so fighting relegation every season would be right up his street.
They also told him he’ll get the usual full support of being given one new first team player every summer.
As a sweetner,he was even offered his own comfy seat in the Mol.-
but he said there’s no need,because he’ll have thousands of empty ones to choose from……..
Report abuse
Happy
I agree with you 100%, my only worry is the loss of an obvious bond between the players and the coaching staff will be lost.
Lone
Appy would be following the example set by the great Greg Halford, who in his own words, left Wolves for Pompey, “a bigger club”!!
Report abuse
Warren – you’re right about his role as the bond between the players and staff, but I think he wants (and deserves) more than that…. but I’m just not sure he is ready for a club like ours.
Be honest guys – if we appointed Appy this summer how confident would you be for next season ??
Tremendous servant and maybe he could return one day – but its too soon now.
Cantello – I heard Mick say before last weeks matches that they were in a different league to Man City – and I thought… just a few months early !!
Report abuse
Foster, Reid, Mcauley, Olsson, Jones, Thomas, Dorrans, Morrison, Brunt, Gera, Cox. Mulumbu dropped as apparantly doesn’t listen to the gaffer. That’s what I have heard anyway. Come back to me tomorrow and heckle me if I’m terribly wrong. If I’m right the doubters may think twice before questioning me again :-)
Report abuse
Happy and Warren
I agree with both of you having seen what a top class manager with pedigree can do the last thing we want is to have a head coach with no experience of the top job. We have had enough cheap options in the past. Better for Appy to cut his teeth at somewhere like Pompey.
Report abuse
Heres a radical idea, Why don’t we loan him to pompey for the rest of the season like we do with players, It could be a win win situation all round if you think it over.
Report abuse
Thanks Inside Man, couple of changes to the fantasy league tonight
Report abuse
No4 Lone
Ref your problem
Mick Mac will carry on moaning to the press like he always does
Problem over
Report abuse
Happy/Robin Brittain
Absolutely agree. I like Appy as a man (or what I see of him through the media) but does he have the intelligence and nouse to make tough tactical calls beyond his demanding exterior? Probably not a gamble you’d want to take when our Premier League future rides on it.
You could say the same of McInnes to a degree, but he’s certainly started very well at Bristol City.
If/when Roy does leave, we’ve not got to be overly-modest about it, assuming we’re still in the Premiership we’ll be one of the better opportunities out there for a manager. With the likes of O’Neill and Hughes out of work, it would be a huge gamble to give Appy the reigns.
Inside Man
Have you got the final score as well? I’m filling my coupon in this afternoon.
Report abuse
Changing the subject I see Trappitoni is desperate for Shane Long to play in the ROI play off games.
Apparently Hodgson has told him to pick Kevin Doyle instead as Long has a chipped bone in his leg – however suggestions that Trappitoni then asked if it was his shooting leg are yet to be confirmed !!
Report abuse
If Pompey are interested then it seems a great chance for Appy to better himself and cut his teeth as a number one. If he proves to be a good manager he is always going to be linked with us anyway, as is McInnes. It would mean changes to our coaching set up but these things happen all the time and I’m sure Roy will have his own ideas how to move forward
Report abuse
I predict 2-2 But that’s not reliable information
Report abuse
IMHO – Appy needs a lot more experience before he manages a Championship or Premiership club.
Man management comes with a lot of experience.
Only thing is, – if he is stopped from taking the management job by JP, will his heart be in the coaches job at Albion from now on??
Report abuse
ive had my offical merchandise catalogue come today,theres a couple of items i fancy on pages 20/21.
Report abuse
Jeff 21
JP won’t stop him taking the job but he will insist compensation is paid. That’s our Chairman folks.
Report abuse
Well its early night for me boys i got a coach to catch at 9 in the morning to arsenal,see you monday have a nice w/e.
Report abuse
im sure youll have a nicer week if i dont come back on here,but nobody else will listen to me cause im not very poplar.
Report abuse
Team exactly as I said …. Proved a few of the doubters wrong? Its hardly a team you’d predict?
Report abuse