Express & Star

Richard Garlick: West Brom will be in good hands next season

Departing director Richard Garlick is confident that Albion are in good hands next season.

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Richard Garlick, left, and Mark Jenkins, right. (AMA)

Garlick is leaving the Baggies at the end of next month to become the Premier League’s new director of football after eight years on the board.

But he’s sure Albion’s next chapter will get off to a strong start under chief executive Mark Jenkins and head coach Darren Moore.

“The club is in very good hands because Mark knows how to run it,” said Garlick. “He won’t put the club in jeopardy. So we won’t find ourselves in a position financially where we’ve got problems.

“There will be some squeezes and some challenges, but there always will be.

"There won’t be a nuclear option. The ‘a’ word (administration) won’t be revolving around West Brom.

“The challenge will be, being (relegated after) eight years in the Premier League is not the same as (being relegated) after one year. There’s going to be a restructuring.

“But we’ve got sensible contracts in terms of players. I see it as an opportunity to re-invigorate the club.”

Garlick believes Albion were relegated last season because they slowly deviated away from the club’s identity.

“I describe it a bit like being a boxer,” he said. “All these little punches come in and after a while, after eight years of making little compromises and moving away from where you were you look back on yourself and it’s not quite who you were.

“A lot of clubs have done it – you get caught up in the Premier League and try and push on."

Albion splurged £40m in the transfer market last summer but were relegated bottom of the Premier League. The club now needs a small overdraft facility, their first in 10 years.

“Although last season wasn’t very good and I know Mark’s commented on our finances, we’re not in a desperate situation, we’re not in a situation that other clubs find themselves," added Garlick.

“I’ve got every confidence that this is now a fresh start. This chapter is finished, and there will be a new chapter moving on.

“There’s a lot of good people here, a lot of good staff, and a lot of good will.

“The way Darren managed to bring the team together in the last six games was fantastic and it’s given everybody optimism moving forward. That’s what we need to build on now.”