West Brom season preview: Time for the Baggies to bounce back again

Chief executive Mark Jenkins has helped the Baggies win three promotions to the Premier League, while head coach Darren Moore got out of this division four times as a player.

But the second tier is a very different place now to 2010, when Albion last graced this division.

There’s more money, more competition and a wider variety of styles. It’s relentless too, but in a different way to the Premier League.

Instead of 26 big games against those around you and 12 chances for bonus points against the top six, Albion will have 46 keenly contested fixtures over the next 10 months.

Three-game weeks will become the norm, and how this squad deals with those demands both physically and mentally could prove the difference.

Although some senior faces like Jonny Evans, Gareth McAuley, Claudio Yacob, James McClean and Ben Foster have already gone, the predicted mass exodus of the summer has not yet materialised.

As it stands, this squad should be more than competitive in the second tier, because there is still plenty of Premier League quality in the ranks, as well as untapped potential.

After all, this team should have never been relegated in the first place.

However, the worry is that the board’s hardline negotiating tactics this summer that has put off interested clubs may have damaged the season to come.

This is the club’s prerogative of course. Why should they sell their assets under market value?

But if Craig Dawson, Jay Rodriguez, Salomon Rondon, Matt Phillips, Jake Livermore and Kieran Gibbs don’t get desired moves away, how much they knuckle down after that disappointment will be key.

Evans was never the same player after Manchester City came calling, Saido Berahino never recovered from Tottenham’s interest.

The way Moore healed the club towards the end of last season earned him his job, but he will need to command a similar unifying presence at the start of this season too.

On the whole though, there is optimism and excitement for the season ahead.

After eight years in the Premier League, the glitz and the glamour had turned stale, and the slog for survival had turned sour.

Ironically, it was when Albion strived for something more that they overstretched themselves, both financially and in football terms, and having deviated away from the identity that made them so effective on the pitch and in the boardroom, the club ended up going down.

For this season at least, the novelty factor of a new division, new teams, and grounds not visited for a while will rekindle the fire.

And it helps that at the helm of the team is a man who is universally respected by the fanbase.

That, coupled with some very reasonable ticket prices, means The Hawthorns could be its busiest in years.

If Moore can get off to a good start, expect it to be packed to the rafters, but neither he nor Albion will have long to acclimatise to this league.

Make no mistake, this is a big season for the Baggies because the reality is, the longer you stay in this division the harder it is to get back out of it.

The Championship has a habit of sucking clubs into it like quicksand as parachute payments dwindle and player contracts run out.

Newcastle fans enjoyed their dip into the league because they came back up both times, but ask any Leeds, Nottingham Forest, or Derby supporter what they want, and it’s to be in the Premier League.

Considering both the resources and the squad, reaching the play-offs should be a minimum. It’s 18 years since the Baggies finished lower than sixth in the Championship.

This is undoubtedly their best shot at bouncing back up, let’s hope they have remembered how to do it.

The Boss: Darren Moore

It’s been a long time since Albion have had a manager so universally adored by the fanbase – everybody remotely associated with the Baggies is aching for Darren Moore to succeed.

Moore was deservedly handed the reins by Guochuan Lai and Mark Jenkins after a stunning turnaround in fortunes during his six-game stint in charge as caretaker last season, and has so far navigated a difficult summer with the same dignity and class he is known for.

Despite being held back by the incompetence of departed technical consultant Giuliano Terraneo and players who have spat their dummies out because of pay cuts written into their contracts, Moore has managed to keep the club on an even keel.

There is a positive atmosphere at the Palm training ground these days, and Moore’s firm but fair response to agitators befits a boss much longer in the tooth.

He may be inexperienced, but he is also determined and diligent, and he enters this season with an abundance of goodwill from supporters.

Moore was an expert at getting out of this league as a player, and while it may be a huge ask to win promotion in your first season as a manager, that is exactly what he has to strive for.

Hopefully he is afforded time by both the board and the fanbase, because the rewards for overcoming what could be a steep learning curve in the first few months could be huge.

It’s great when your team is winning, but as we found out towards the end of last season and at the World Cup, it’s even better when your team is winning under somebody decent.

The Key Men

Sam Johnstone

Ben Foster left under a cloud but there’s no denying his boots are big ones to fill.

Sam Johnstone impressed at Villa last season, and kept 22 clean sheets in this league.

A young, hungry goalkeeper learning his trade under the shrewd eye of Neil Cutler, Johnstone’s performance will be crucial for Albion next season and could be the key to bouncing back up.

Goals win you matches, but clean sheets win you titles.

There’s a reason the Baggies were willing to shell out £6.5million on him – ask any Villa fan sickened by his departure after a sterling season down the road.

Kyle Bartley

Another new signing and one that, just like Johnstone, has a tough act to follow.

Jonny Evans was one of the classiest centre-backs Albion have had in recent years and Gareth McAuley was a reliable colossus at the back for a long time.

Bartley was brilliant for Leeds in the Championship two seasons ago and at the age of just 27, he is entering the prime of his career.

Darren Moore believes his best years are ahead of him, and under the former centre-back, Bartley may even improve.

If he keeps himself fit, he could prove to be another key signing of the summer.

Chris Brunt

There are three things certain in life. Death, taxes and Chris Brunt playing a key role in blue and white.

While plenty look for moves away – even those who said they’d stay – the Northern Irishman is entering his 12th season at The Hawthorns without so much as a glance elsewhere.

Brunt’s left foot affects games wherever he is on the pitch, but under Moore he has become a deep-lying playmaker in central midfield, and the man who will likely dictate Albion’s play.

He’s also been given the armband, and no-one is more deserving.

A loyal servant and Albion through and through, his experience and leadership will be vital.

Oliver Burke

Struggled to make an impression last season following his £15million move from RB Leipzig, but the winger has proven himself in this division before with Nottingham Forest.

His electric pace will frighten any backline, and his direct running has potential to wreak havoc.

Now is the time for the 21-year-old to mature the other parts of his game, and add more consistency going forward.

If he can do that, he will be a huge asset this season, because he has the pace, power, and finishing potential to blitz this league.