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Pepe Mel is Jeremy Peace's biggest West Brom gamble

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Jeremy Peace has got his way as Jeremy Peace usually does. But this is still biggest gamble of his Albion stewardship writes Martin Swain.

moreThe appointment of 50-year-old Pepe Mel, a coach with barely any profile in Premier League circles, is undoubtedly the most exciting pick the Albion chairman has authorised. But with excitement there is usually an element of danger and that is certainly the case here.

Peace will naturally hope he has just appointed his Pochettino. But there will inevitably be fears it could all go a little bit Solbakken.

Since falling out with Gary Megson, the original architect of Albion's elevation to the Premier League, the Baggies chairman has got little or nothing wrong through a chain of sackings and hirings. Bryan Robson begat Tony Mowbray who begat Roberto Di Matteo who begat Roy Hodgson and then Steve Clarke.

All played their part in advancing the club along a progressive trajectory that has seen Albion out-perform not only all their local rivals but a good proportion of the nation's clubs too.

Pound for pound, few can claim to have extracted the value for money Peace has from a club he now owns.

The new coach's predecessor, the understated Clarke, was arguably the biggest risk of the crop in that it was his first No.1 posting. But the Scot had an entrenched experience of the Premier League and a book full of contacts which enabled him to hire the striker who did so much to make a success of his one full campaign, Romelu Lukaku.

Mel, however, has no such antecedents. He has earned Peace's affections largely because of his four-year stint with Real Betis but La Liga is not the Premier League. The one-time Real Madrid striker will not be intimidated by the profile of his position but the weekly intensity of the English top flight catches the breath of most foreign newcomers.

With exquisite timing, he will watch Albion for the first time as their new head coach at Southampton where, a little over a year ago, Mauricio Pochettino was introduced amid a good deal of hostility. Pochettino has justified the leap of faith taken by the Saints and now it is to be hoped Mel can do the same.

But it is a big call. Albion have a lot of work to do to get out of the mess in which they have slumped. There is the generally-held view that this is a squad which has slipped into plight in spite of its ability level and not because of it. But that does not mean some serious, hard yards have to be negotiated before the club can relax and most importantly, Mel can have room to breathe and begin shaping the team to his own co-ordinates.

To be fair to him, those are quite exciting and clearly it is this which has attracted Peace who has long held a fancy for turning to Spain to advance his club's ambitions to harness style on a modest budget.

This is precisely what Mel achieved at Betis, where he garnered a reputation as a coach who promoted exciting, high tempo attacking football which first hit the headlines in his native land when Betis gave mighty Barcelona a fright in a two-legged Copa Del Rey tie three years ago. They lost on aggregate but by the time they were winning promotion later that season, the coach's reputation was secure.

Peace's support staff, most probably led by David McDonough, the director of technical performance and scouting who has close links with Rafa Benitez, have been on Mel's case since his exit from Betis 12 days before Clarke himself was dismissed.

He was heavily linked with the Sunderland post before Gus Poyet was chosen and had been mentioned as a possible contender at West Ham should Sam Allardyce be removed. There is a bitter twist to that particular scenario because nowhere will there be more scorn for Albion's appointment today than in Allardyce's office.

He remains the champion of the humble English coaching fraternity who believe owners and chairman have become too easily seduced by foreign accents and this nation's comparative meagre successes on the international stage.

Mel and Peace could not agree a deal initially because of the Spaniard's demands for backroom staff appointments; this is a non negotiable when dealing with Peace. Typically, and after a wide search the details of which will forever be the subject of mystique, Peace has returned to his first choice and driven from him the deal he originally wanted.

This brings us to one of the key figures in the entire scenario. Keith Downing has already played a significant role in taking the pressure off his employer with an unbeaten four-match sequence from some tough fixtures while the team lodged some improved form.

Now the assistant head coach must ease his new gaffer into the post without threatening him or the team's upwards curve. Thankfully, Downing is an astute enough people person to be able to handle this diplomatic challenge with a new boss - whose English is as yet faltering – while helping him keep the team on course.

But there are 18 games left and still Mel will have to learn and think on his feet if he is to reach the end of this season with them under the table and Albion safely away from any danger.

Then, and only then, will we begin to see the impact of the changes he will want to introduce.

Getting there is the gamble - a gamble Peace has taken in the hope that Albion's future rewards make it one worthy of taking.