West Bromwich Albion star Jed Wallace has revealed that Shilen Patel’s initial meeting with the squad was “very motivational”, following his successful takeover last month.
The Baggies are in a strange position in the Championship right now. The side are too far away from the top two places to make a push for the automatic promotion spots but are now eight points clear of seventh, meaning finishing in the playoffs is now all but confirmed unless an implosion occurs.
A 2-0 win at The Hawthorns against Bristol City on Saturday afternoon was the team’s third win in four games and extended their unbeaten run to six matches in England’s second tier. With winnable fixtures coming up against Watford, Stoke City, Rotherham United and Sunderland, West Brom could mathematically seal their spot in the top six within a matter of weeks.
Nevertheless, earning promotion back to the Premier League through the lottery of the playoffs certainly won’t be easy as West Bromwich Albion face the prospect of facing one of Southampton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United or Leicester City in the semi-final depending on which way the title race goes.
Patel’s takeover of the West Midlands outfit couldn’t have come at a better time for the side. In fact, since the news was announced that he bought an 87.8% stake in the club, Corberan’s team have been unbeaten.
Speaking after the 2-0 win at the weekend, club captain Wallace admitted that a recent meeting with Patel prior to West Brom’s 2-2 draw away at Queens Park Rangers gave the players a boost [quotes via Birmingham Live]:
Pure passion from the skipper. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/aoczP654AS
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) March 17, 2024
“He spoke to us before the QPR game and came to introduce himself to the lads – to be honest, it was very motivational what he said to us.
“He said we have an opportunity to make the fans really proud this season – and we shouldn’t take that opportunity for granted. It was great to see him, he had a pre-match meal with us.
“Things like that go a long way, being around a group of players, and I know he’s keen to come and watch a lot of our games, and that’s the way it should be. From the ground staff upwards, we all feel as though we’re pushing in the right direction.”
Writer’s View
Corberan and his players have been exceptional this season but noise off the pitch would certainly have been distracting amid a tense playoff race. All involved seem delighted that the takeover process has finally been completed and the focus can now remain solely on what happens on the field.
West Bromwich Albion now seem to have an owner willing to go that extra mile and spend much-needed cash to bring the club back to the promised land. Even if the Baggies fail to earn promotion this season, they will be one of the favourites in the following campaign.
