West Brom boss hunt goes on as Pepe Mel talks halt
Albion were today planning talks with alternative head coach candidates after discussions with leading contender Pepe Mel dramatically broke down.
The Baggies last night called a halt to their negotiations with 50-year-old Mel – a move that could bring his fellow Spaniard Jose Luis Mendilibar and the newly-sacked Malky Mackay into the frame.
But the breakdown in talks with Mel yesterday over his backroom staff appears to have removed the Baggies' preferred candidate from the running.
Mel flew into London yesterday for a second round of face-to-face talks with Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace, hoping to conclude a deal to replace Steve Clarke before the Baggies' New Year's Day clash with Newcastle at The Hawthorns.
But news leaked out last night in the Spanish media that the former Real Betis coach had left without a contract after the two sides failed to agree on the make-up of his support team.
Shortly afterwards Albion issued a statement claiming they were still identifying candidates "to work within our existing structure".
Mel is thought to have wanted to appoint at least two of his own trusted lieutenants to the staff, but Albion plan to retain Keith Downing, Dean Kiely and fitness coach Matt Green, meaning only one coach is likely to join any new boss to replace Kevin Keen, who left with Clarke.
That means the Baggies will look elsewhere and are likely now to sound out Mackay, who was sacked by Cardiff yesterday.
But the 41-year-old Scot, who was last night installed as the new bookies' favourite, is far from certain to be offered the job, and there are no guarantees he would accept it.
He is thought to favour a wider brief than the 'head coach' role offered by Albion.