Darren Moore: Luke Dowling has all the tools to succeed at West Brom
Darren Moore believes prising Luke Dowling away from Nottingham Forest was a huge coup for the Baggies.
Dowling arrived this week as technical director following a brief seven-month stint at the City Ground.
He has previously helped Watford get promoted out of the Championship and consolidate their position in the Premier League while in a similar role.
Moore worked with Dowling at Blackburn Rovers when he was first team coach and Albion's new technical director was head of recruitment.
He was consulted about the appointment by chief executive Mark Jenkins, and is confident it will be a good fit.
"I’m really pleased to be working alongside Luke," said Moore. "I think he’ll be a huge help, not just for me but for the football club moving forward.
"Luke’s very astute on the business side of the game and knowledgeable on the football side. It’s a win-win.
"His role is to bring all departments together, football, academy, sports science, medical.
"I knew Luke before we worked together at Blackburn.
"He’s astute, knowledgeable of the game, understands recruitment, all those things you associate with a technical director, Luke’s got in abundance. To capture Luke is really good for the club."
Thanks to the disastrous short-term appointment of Giuliano Terraneo from Albion's Chinese owners, the Baggies leant heavily on Moore in the summer transfer window.
And Albion's head coach is looking forward to having a bit more assistance in that department from now on.
"He’ll be a huge help for me in terms of the day to day management of the club and we’ll work closely together for the near future," said Moore
"In all areas where you can get extra help it’s always a massive plus. We’ll see what shape we’re in in that next transfer window."
Albion are currently looking at a number of free agents – including former Wolves winger Bakary Sako – and Moore confirmed Dowling would be a part of the decision process.
"Anybody from now immediately going through to January, it’ll be a joint-decision in terms of recruitment," he said.
The Baggies enter this weekend as the Championship's top scorers, but Moore has challenged his side to score even more.
"It’s good to see us scoring goals but we’re sharing them all over the team which is pleasing," he said.
"I want us to be dangerous from open play and set plays. We still feel we can better in those departments and we continue to strive to get better."
