Express & Star

James Shan's third straight win puts him in pole position to see out season with West Brom

James Shan's third win in a row has left him in pole position to lead Albion until the end of the season.

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James Shan. (AMA)

The caretaker boss equalled the club's longest winning streak of the season thanks to a topsy-turvy 3-2 victory over Birmingham City that saw the Baggies come from behind twice.

Technical director Luke Dowling and chief executive Mark Jenkins were scrutinising the performance from the directors' box and will deliberate over the weekend about whether to keep Shan in place until summer.

Despite an unconvincing first half, the board will be pleased with a second-half response that saw the Baggies creep to within four points of the top two overnight.

"I had a conversation with Luke Dowling this morning but it was very much focused on this game," said Shan.

"Whether there will be any contact over the weekend I'm not sure, I'll go to Leeds v Millwall tomorrow to start preparing for the next game.

"I'm not trying to shirk the question, but I'm employed by the football club and I'll do whatever they ask me to do."

Although supporters will be crying out for some clarity over the managerial situation, Shan insists he's happy to carry on like this, and he doesn't think the uncertainty will affect the players.

"Me personally I'm happy to keep going game by game," he said. "The players are professional and they have a focus.

"I don't think anything in the last three games has proved we need to do anything otherwise.

"The lads are comfortable with myself and the coaching team that have stepped in and done a good job – Deon Burton, Jamie Smith, and Mark Harrison.

"If I'm being honest we've had a consistent way of working throughout the season."

Shan has, however, spoken to the board about the possibility of bringing in an experienced coach to help him see out the season.

"There's been a couple of conversations," he admitted. "There's a number of options.

"We could bring somebody in permanently, or we bring an experienced coach in with me to work alongside, or the potential to leave me be and have an experienced coach (under me).

"The coaching staff we have around me work diligently, albeit untested at first team level, but plenty of coaching experience.

"Coahing remains the same but the pressure of the game changes, the magnitude of that.

"If we were to get to the play-offs, to have somebody of experience in and around the building who has done it before can only be an aid.

"You ask any manager, he'll always want more coaching staff and more players, it makes things easier and you can cover more bases."

Albion were poor in the first half and deservedly trailed 1-0 at the break after a Gary Gardner header.

"We were disappointed at half time with the nature of the goal conceded and our performance," said Shan.

"We were rushed and forceful in possession, and panicked at moments, we didn't realise or recognise we had as much time and space to manoeuvre the ball.

"In saying that, we showed them some video clips at half-time of them being patient and playing through the lines and causing problems and it resulted in two or three good final-third entries.

"I don't think we can underestimate what they've got up top, Jutkiewicz is a fantastic target man with Adams playing off him.

"They caused us some big problems, but we dealt with it better second half, maybe so because we had a bit of dominance and control."

Shan took Morrison off at half-time for Hal Robson-Kanu, and it helped the Baggies turn the game on its head, although he revealed it was slightly forced.

"It was a little bit forced," said Shan. "James Morrison just felt his hamstring, it wasn't a tactical change.

"Saying that, Hal's been fantastic in training, his appetite has been very good, it's been difficult to leave him out. He came onto the pitch, and contributed in a fantastic fashion."

After drawing level through Dwight Gayle, the Baggies fell behind again to a Lukas Jutkiewicz header.

Jay Rodriguez levelled from the spot with his seventh converted penalty of the season, although Blues boss Garry Monk claimed the foul on Conor Townsend was outside the area.

Jake Livermore then won the game with a first-time strike from the edge of the box.

"It was a fantastic finish," said Shan. "We looked at that in the game prep and strikes from that distance going through bodies.

"I haven't seen it back yet, in live mode it was a fantastic connection and well worthy to win it."

A lot of Shan's family and friends are Birmingham City fans, and his mum Jacqui used to watch Blues home and away.

"I think they might start to lean to the Black Country side of it now," smiled Shan. "I've had millions of texts from people, family and friends and things like that.

"They've been hugely supportive in the most. I don't think I'll gloat too much, just park it there and move on."