I think Roy will be good enough to keep WBA up in the Premier League at least for this season. But then again I think Di Matteo could have been capable of that too. But he will want to instil his own style of football and that will take a few games to get into as it was doing with Liverpool and Fulham before that. Have WBA got that time now?

I just hope that Roy can improve his own away performances because this is something that is a big problem for WBA.

It must also be noted that West Brom have not been taking points off the teams around them. This has been a perpetual problem throughout each of their spells in the Premier League and is particularly concerning this year given the fact that the league is so tight.

I must agree however that long-term thinking seems to be. This can be said though, without suggesting Albion, and indeed Jeremy Peace, are part of a “worrying trend etc”. Albion have had just 4 managers in 11 years; Peace is not one to sack regularly and has always given managers time. This is especially evident considering that, but for Celtic’s approach, Tony Mowbray would have continued as manager despite making no real progress.

Jeremy Peace clearly thinks this is Albion’s best chance to stay up for a long time (the “Great Escape” season really was an exceptional occurance). It must be this, and his belief that if the team plays well they will get results (as evidenced by the performances earlier on in the season) that has led to Di Matteo’s sacking.

I agree again with Thomas Levin when he questions whether this is the correct approach. It seemed to me that Di Matteo was building a decent side and developing as a coach. He was unafraid to make big decisions. I was convinced that he would be allowed to stay and develop further, even if West Brom got relegated this season.

Just as a final point, Samuel Lockhurst’s point about foreign manager “witch-hunts” is completely exaggerated, and clearly based upon recent allegations of xenophobia by Houllier. Unfortunately, contributing to this idea will only perpetuate it. They are not, with the exception of Capello and Sven because they are/were England manager, treated any differently to English managers.

The fact is Roberto had lost the drressing room, players were unsure of his coaching and whether he really had the personality or drive to turn it around.

Sticking with a coach that has lost 13 out of 18 games and showed no signs of turning it around would not be tolerated by anyone.

I don’t discount that he wasn’t given support by the club’s hierarchy but there is much more to the eye than just seeing his dismissal in black and white. Just cos you are a nice man does not make you a good coach

It just seems madness, they have the fire power to stay up, they are taking points against the clubs around them and two of those clubs they have at home, the picture could be very different 4 games down the line when they could easily be a mid-table position the way the league has gone this season.

Di Matteo in his whole WBA career has a 48% win ratio, better then Hodgsons stints at Fulham and Liverpool and better then those he has replaced. They play attactive football and he has only spent £4m without complaining about lack of investment into a squad that has some talent players. Odemwinige looks a fantastic buy and now fit again could propell them on wards and upwards.

Mowbary has a lot to take credit for in the current WBA side, he started the rebuild and in great style Di Matteo carried it on. Both with a philosophy of attacking attractive football.

If Hodgson or Big Sam is to go in there now it will take a whole new rebuilding themselves as they try and instil a whole different style of football. Do WBA really want to sacrafice good football for a chance to stay in the Premier League, is that not selling your soul to the devil?

Long term strategies should be put in placed into these teams, regular apprisals based on realistic objectives and measurements needs to be done and knee jerk decisions based on form need to be dismissed. Until then we will probably continue to see West Brom Yo-Yo up and down.

Even if WBA did go down this season, stay with Roberto and with a side of young players continue to grow and come back up more experience and stronger.