Comment: If Guochuan Lai wants West Brom to finish in the top ten again, it's time to back Tony Pulis

“Yes,” he replied simply. “Without being too dramatic, it’s going to cost more money every year.”

When Albion’s new regime handed Pulis a 12-month contract extension last October, they challenged him to establish the team in the top half.

Thanks to four fantastic months in the middle of the season, the Welshman delivered that goal at the first attempt.

Even though there are still question marks about the team’s performances after reaching 40 points, and there was only six points separating the ten sides that finished between eighth and 17th, Pulis did deliver what was asked and he broke his Premier League top-half duck in doing so.

More importantly, for 19 games in the middle of the season the Baggies were genuinely the eighth best team in the country, not just in the table, but on the pitch too.

There was signs of progress and a glimpse of what might be possible.

So now the season has finished, it’s time for the board to deliver. It’s clear Guochuan Lai is not the sugar daddy supporters hoped he might be when the takeover was announced last August.

In those opening statements he promised to run the club with the same pragmatism of Jeremy Peace.

But Peace was happy with just staying in the league, Lai wants to secure a top 10 berth, and one day, challenge for the top six.

Even if his own finances means he can’t afford to throw around the hundreds of millions it would need to get there quickly, he still needs to help out.

Albion are in the most promising financial position they have ever been in, and were given £114million for finishing 10th last season.

It puts them in the top 25 highest-earning clubs in the world, but there were still 11 in the Premier League who received more prize money.

If Lai wants Pulis to finish in the top 10 again next season, then he needs to dip his hand into his own pocket, and he needs to do it soon.

The Premier League fixtures were released yesterday, and one of the most striking aspects was Albion’s relatively comfortable opening five games.

It’s crucial to make hay while the sun shines, but that will be difficult if the additions to this squad – which currently has just 11 fit senior outfield players – are made towards the end of the transfer window once the season has started.

Pulis also needs to shoulder some responsibility here, because the head coach has the final say on transfers and he’s been known to dither in the past before pulling the plug on potential deals.

Getting early signings over the line is easier said than done, as all parties will try and hold out for a better deal, but when an ageing squad is left this bare, it becomes more important.

Since the end of last summer, the squad has lost four bodies and added just one.

It is still mid-June so there is no need to panic. What's more, last summer’s business was underwhelming at the time but it turned out to be a success.

However, this is the new regime’s first summer window, and it is time for them to make a statement.

Pulis will probably never win everyone round, but the fans were still singing his name towards the end of the season, so relations have certainly improved.

If Lai wants him to finish in the top 10 again, then he needs to give him the tools to do so.