Hull City will face the wrath of a side looking for a new manager for the second time this season when they head to West Bromwich Albion at the weekend. Having sacked Steve Clarke following Saturday's 1-0 Premier League defeat at Cardiff, Roberto Di Matteo and Martin Jol are already in the running to return to the Hawthorns.
West Brom's fourth straight loss means they will welcome the Tigers on Saturday with their players desperate to impress potential new managers. Di Matteo, who guided West Brom into the top flight in 2010 but was relieved of his duties in February 2011, and ex-Albion player Jol, recently dismissed from his post as manager of Fulham, are among those being mentioned as potential candidates to fill the vacancy.
Although Di Matteo has been installed as the bookies' favourite, fans don't believe a reunion would be the best way forward for the club. Alan Cleverley, secretary of the West Brom supporters' club, said: "If it's Jol, it is someone else's cast-off, while Di Matteo has done it before and wasn't a great success in the Premier League with us. I haven't seen a name yet where I think to myself 'yes, that would be fine'."
After losing his job at West Brom, Di Matteo had a spell in charge at Chelsea that lasted from March to November 2012, during which the Blues won the Champions League and the FA Cup. Also being tipped as contenders are Molde boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, former Schalke manager Ralf Rangnick and Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes, another ex-West Brom player.
Clarke departed with West Brom 16th in the table, two points above the relegation zone and having won only seven of their 34 top-flight matches in 2013. The 50-year-old Scot – under whom Albion achieved their highest-ever Premier League finish of eighth last term – was appointed as their boss in the summer of 2012. His deal with the club was due to run out at the end of this season and only late last month West Brom announced they planned to hold contract talks with him in the new year.
However, the club announced their decision to dispense with Clarke, and place him on gardening leave, saying it was the unanimous decision of the directors with the Baggies just two points and two places above the relegation zone. Assistant Kevin Keen has also been placed on gardening leave, meaning joint-assistant head coach Keith Downing will assume control of first-team affairs while the club search for Clarke's successor.
Clarke, who replaced Roy Hodgson after he had been appointed England manager, in what was his first managerial role having previously been assistant manager at Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool. While the Baggies are currently struggling, Clarke had guided them to eighth last season and he has expressed "deep regret" at his sacking and claims he had "unfinished business" at the Hawthorns.
In a statement released by the League Managers Association, Clarke said: "It was certainly a challenge to succeed Roy Hodgson, having been appointed England
manager, after he successfully guided the club to a 10th-place finish in 2011-12. It goes without saying that I was extremely proud to have built on that achievement by securing the club's highest ever finish in the Premier League and for over 30 years in the top flight by finishing eighth in 2012-13.
"Going into this season expectations were high, perhaps unrealistically so, but with it still being only our fourth consecutive season in the top flight, our primary objective had to be to establishing our status in the Premier League. I was, and remain convinced that we were well placed to achieve this aim. I wish everyone connected with the club the very best for the future."
