Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
This season no fewer than six Premier League teams have rolled the dice and changed their managers in a bid to steer clear of the relegation zone and it is fair to say that there have been varying degrees of success. Leicester, Everton, Crystal Palace, West Ham, West Brom and Swansea are the half dozen clubs that have seen a change in personnel and it is fair to say that there have been varying degrees of success as names such as Alan Pardew and Roy Hodgson get another spin on the managerial merry go round.
Leicester and Everton have arguably benefited the most as the decision to show Craig Shakespeare and Ronald Koeman the exit door must be considered a shrewd one. Claude Puel and Sam Allardyce respectively have come in and transformed the fortunes of what were two ailing clubs at the start of the season, especially in the case of the latter who had spent something in the region of £150m in a bid to break the top six.
Two London clubs have also benefited from managerial change as David Moyes and Roy Hodgson have improved the fortunes of West Ham and Crystal Palace and even if their was consternation after the sacking of Frank De Boer after just four matches you do get the feeling that Crystal Palace are better off for it. While although Paul Clement was sacked by Swansea earlier in the month they are still yet to name a permanent successor.
EDIT: Swansea appoint Carlos Carvalhal as new manager
Which leaves us West Brom and the appointment of Alan Pardew. The Baggies plight has been plain for all to see as they have not won in their last 18 Premier League matches a run like that will always catch up with you and quite simply the table does not lie as the West Midlands outfit currently find themselves second bottom in the table.
But the concern must be that in four of the five examples (Swansea it is too early to tell in all fairness) above there has been a very positive transformation with the fortunes changing dramatically for the clubs who have been bold enough to change the man in the hot seat but unfortunately for West Brom that does not seem to be the case.
Since the appointment of Alan Pardew the club have only picked up three points from a possible 18 with that first win since August still eluding them, now if you were a glass half full person you would point to that run of results and say that they have not lost in fifty percent of the games that the former Crystal Palace boss has been in charge of.
However if you were of a more pessimistic ilk you would be inclined to point to the fact that Pardew has failed to give the squad a real boost and turn those draws into wins. After failing to get a win in his first half dozen games you could almost argue the fact that perhaps the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side after the sacking of Tony Pulis.
It may be a massive concern that West Brom have not won under their new manager but at least it is a breathe of fresh air with a new man at the Hawthorns helm. How much good grace will Alan Pardew have though if not just his personal search for a first win but also the fact that the Baggies have nearly gone a whole half season without picking up all three points.
The fixture computer has perhaps not been kind to the former Newcastle head honcho as that first half dozen games has included meetings with the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United and credit must at least go to him for earning draws against the Merseyside duo but as of right now West Brom need to making giant leaps and not small steps in their bid to beat the drop.
The hope will be that the January transfer window will offer some respite and the club can get a couple of new faces in, although the likelihood will be that it is only the loan market in which West Brom will be casting their eye over in the next few weeks. Quite simply there has to be a change of fortune soon, the question is whether Pardew really is the man to deliver it?
