Football Daily | West Bromwich Albion and the beauty of the struggle

. UK edition

Boiler Man and Baggie Bird
Boiler Man and Baggie Bird kept West Brom’s mascot game strong, though. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

In today’s Football Daily: Will anybody steady the West Brom ship?

BOINGED OUT OF THE BAGGIES

When it comes to word association Football Daily immediately links West Bromwich Albion with Adrian Chiles, due in no small part to the avuncular broadcaster and star Big Website columnist being one of the Baggies’ more famous high priests of pessimism. Upon hearing that his struggling club had dispensed with the services of yet another head coach, we checked in to make sure the man we don’t know well enough to call “Chilesey” hadn’t taken it upon himself to sally forth to the Hawthorns and run amok with the new yellow power tool he recently bought in order to “address lifelong self-esteem issues” through the medium of DIY. We’re happy to report that, at the time of writing, the famous old ground’s Smethwick End is still standing and bears no resemblance to a colander.

“West Bromwich Albion have parted company with men’s first team head coach Eric Ramsay,” boing-boinged a club statement in the wake of Tuesday’s turgid draw with Charlton that leaves the Baggies in all sorts of relegation bother. “Assistant head coach Dennis Lawrence has also departed the Hawthorns.” Ramsay, a Systems Guy who had previously worked at Manchester United, arrived from Minnesota United with a CV choc-full of modern methodology and MLS buzzwords. He lasted just 44 days and won none of his nine games in charge. “The question around my job and the future is never one I can ever answer or attempt to answer,” he told the BBC, minutes before before the club hierarchy provided a definitive response via the medium of a P45, a cardboard box and a security escort off the premises.

With the club perched one point above the drop zone, the hierarchy has handed the interim reins to their trusty caretaker, James Morrison, and while putting the namesake of a soulful singer-songwriter known for acoustic-driven melodies in charge might smack of desperation, the Hawthorns faithful are hoping he can at least give them Something. It seems unlikely the club stalwart will do a worse job than the man whose mess he has been tasked with replacing in the short-term, though the mood in the West Midlands remains decidedly Broken Strings. Morrison is also favourite to take over as Ramsay’s full-time successor. Football Daily can’t help but feel that what West Brom need is a more steady hand on the tiller. And who better to grip it than a certain columnist who has spent the last decade documenting his own exquisite, low-stakes suffering on Big Website?

Already operating in the realm of Expected Disappointment, a footballing metric with which Albion fans have long been familiar, Chiles might not prove any better than any of his recent predecessors but would at least focus on the “beauty of the struggle”. If West Brom are to drop to the third tier for the first time in over 30 years, who better to take them down than a man with a urinal in his flat, too many wooden spoons and no faith whatsoever in zips?

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“That was kind of my first rodeo with ‘cancel culture’, and 0 out of 10 – would not recommend to other people. I take full responsibility for the book and the things that happened around the book. I took some time out to really reflect on the whole situation and there were clearly things that I could have done better. There were some tough lessons learned. I’m human. I’m not perfect, I’m still learning. I’m still growing as a person. I want to use those lessons going forward” – the former England goalkeeper Mary Earps tells Tom Garry she understands why there was such strong condemnation of comments made in her autobiography last year and how she has had positive talks with Sarina Wiegman in recent months.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

I thought I should remind James Harvey (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) that English language (and other) pedantry has a proud, well long, tradition in Football Daily! To that end, I think he will see, if he looks, that David Livesey’s use of tautology was entirely intentional, and unusually subtle for Football Daily … neither clear nor obvious” – David Mutimer.

Regarding the recent James Milner quote, in which he puzzlingly pluralised the names of some of his former managers. Frankly I was surprised by this, coming from such a singular player” – Peter Oh.

Can I (and 1,056 Norwegians) offer a hearty ‘Giorgia Meloni, can you hear me Giorgia Meloni? Your boys took a hell of a beating …’ to Bodø/Glimt on their success in San Siro” – Declan Hackett (and no other Norwegians).

Re: the lead story on the stricken seagull (yesterday’s Football Daily). If one takes the folkloric Atatürk-seagull story as gospel, then perhaps Gani Caton’s reaction to recent suspensions were approached with the same seriousness one might show when interpreting prophetic messages from coastal wildlife. One imagines the seagulls of Istanbul have been placed on an unofficial watch list while the matter is reviewed with appropriate bureaucratic dignity” – Andrew Delaney (and no other wannabe Eric Cantonas).

Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. After a lifetime of study, I can confirm for Football Daily Ed that drinking pints does not gain aura. Area, yes – but aura, no” – David Ford.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Peter Oh. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here. 

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