Corberan's New West Brom Deal A Huge Boost For The Fans After Leeds Links

Carlos Corberan agreed a new contract with West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night, keeping him at The Hawthorns until 2027. After the Spaniard’s former employers Leeds United had sacked Jesse Marsch on Monday there was a lot of concern from West Brom fans that Corberan could be tempted into an Elland Road return if they came calling.

Albion teased the announcement in a funny way by using a clip of popular TV show Happy Valley. They used lead actor Sarah Lancashire’s character Catherine Cawood saying the words ‘Why is everyone saying you’re going to Leeds when you’re not?’ which blew up on social media as they threw some shade towards the Premier League outfit.

The 39-year-old spent three years as Leeds’ Under-23s head coach but he also had a dual role as first-team coach from 2018 following the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa. He was a very popular figure in the eyes of both the Argentine coach and the supporters, and many would have welcomed him as Marsch’s successor.

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However, he has decided to stay in the West Midlands after having an outstanding start to his tenure with the Baggies. He has picked up 30 points in his first 13 league matches and guided them from 22nd in the Championship into the play-off picture, where they currently sit in sixth.

Supporters have been infatuated with how quickly he has turned the team that looked doomed under Steve Bruce into one of the highest-performing sides in the division. Corberan only came into the fold in late October and West Brom are fourth in the form table since his appointment. You have to wonder how much higher they could be in the overall standings if he had been in charge since the beginning of the term.

For owner and chairman Lai Guochuan to tie Corberan down to a long-term deal shows a signal of intent from the board to build a promising future in B71. After signing the new deal, Corberan told the club website: “I have enjoyed my time at Albion, and I am pleased to have secured a contract extension. I would like to thank my staff, the players, and our fantastic supporters for their help in making my time here so positive.

“I would also like to thank [West Brom CEO] Ron Gourlay for continuing to show faith in me as a coach. I believe that success can only be achieved when everyone works together and the way I have been made to feel welcome at this great club has made me confident that this is the right place for me.”

Right now, the club need stability on the pitch just as much as they need it off it, and Corberan has the chance to oversee something for years to come.

West Brom’s recent managerial appointments before Corberan have not been around enough to see a project through, with Tony Pulis being the last person to spend over two years in charge at The Hawthorns. None of the managers who have followed since he left in 2017 have seen more than 18 months in the dugout. This has been a huge hindrance to their progression as they have bounced between the Premier League and Championship in recent years.

This latest announcement comes at a time when the fan base have needed some positive news with the growing concerns of the club’s financial sustainability under the current ownership. In December, Guochuan took out a £20 million loan from MSD UK Holdings Limited which was secured against all West Bromwich Albion Group assets, including the stadium and the training ground. A return to the top flight will help them to repay this loan, and under the stewardship of their current boss, there is a good chance they can make that step soon.

Corberan offers a ray of shining hope to The Hawthorns faithful amid the financial uncertainty because of the impact he has had in the short time he has been in the dugout. He has been able to get consistent results from the players and you can see how much they are improving under his guidance. Striker Daryl Dike told the club website: “You can always learn under him. Every single training session and every single day he is pushing me to be better. He wants to give you all the tools at his disposal to help you get better as a player. He puts so much effort into everything he does, not every manager does that. One thing that is incredible about Carlos is how eager he is to help you.”

While there is a lot of risk to signing a new deal, Corberan has a great chance to build on his reputation from his spell with Huddersfield Town, when he led the Terriers to the Championship play-off final in 2021-22. They were beaten by Nottingham Forest and have since struggled as they languish in the bottom three, highlighting the incredible job he did in West Yorkshire.

Corberan has the backing of the board and the supporters which will allow him to further enhance his skills as a top-level coach. Based on what we have seen of his squad in just a few months, there is a strong chance he can guide them back to the Premier League in the next few seasons, and create a brighter future for a club that craves success and stability.

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