Tony Pulis felt, in his short time working alongside Guochuan Lai at West Bromwich Albion, that the incoming controlling shareholder had the club's best interests at heart despite what was to unfold over the years to follow. Pulis was in charge in 2016 when Jeremy Peace sold his near 88% stake in West Bromwich Albion Group to Lai's Yunyi Guokai Sports Development Ltd, via West Bromwich Albion Holdings.
The Albion boss guided the club to a tenth placed finish that season, although they were within a couple of minutes - and a last gasp Fernando Llorente winner for Swansea City on the final day of the 2016-17 season - from matching their best Premier League finish of eighth. Things at various levels of the club began to deteriorate from that moment, as senior figures departed the club and Albion's on-field performances suffered.
Pulis eventually left the club in November 2017 with the club in the relegation battle, having previously admitted that he had lost the desire himself to conduct the job at the same high octane level that summer previous. Throughout those 15 or so months of managing the club during the early stages of the generally miserable Lai era, Pulis had no reason to believe that anything troubling was awaiting further down the line.
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“I have to say, Mr Lai was really good with me despite the communication barrier. I always thought he was doing the right thing for Albion," Pulis told OLBG. “I don't know how things played out with [former chairman] John Williams and Mr Lai afterwards, but I do think they would consider it a mistake not to give Gary Megson the job. I really really, enjoyed my time at Albion, even if I got a bit of stick from supporters at times!”
That was the final piece of advice Pulis offered the club as he took his leave, after a heavy home defeat to Chelsea - that the club should restore Megson's status as the club's boss. Megson had returned to aid Pulis in pre-season after the departure of his long-term assistant Dave Kemp, and during his two matches in interim charge, the Baggies delivered heartening displays and earned points against Tottenham and Newcastle.
Williams, CEO Martin Goodman and technical director Nicky Hammond opted for Alan Pardew, however, and it'd be an appointment that'd prove to be decisive. Despite Darren Moore's best efforts at the back end of the campaign, it was during Pardew's tenure that Albion lost their way to the point where they were unable to be saved.
“They should have given Gary Megson the job," Pulis said. "He knew exactly what the team was about. He had done pre-season with me so knew the characters, the fans loved him and he got two great results at Tottenham and Newcastle, so I said to John Williams 'Give him the job' but they never took any notice.
“They then made a very poor decision. It summed up the way things were behind the scenes. Whether they thought I was saying it because Gary is my mate, I don't know, but I was saying it for the football club's best interest."
Onto the modern day, where Carlos Corberan is bidding to lead the club back to the top flight for the second time since Pulis' tenure ended. Albion have spent five of the last six seasons in the Championship, but they're close to securing a play-off place - which Corberan tried his best to achieve last season with a smaller number of matches, after a disastrous series of results under Steve Bruce.
Pulis has been quite taken by Corberan whenever he's met him and he believes that there are aspects in the ways in which he works that resemble those of his mentor Marcelo Bielsa. Who secures promotion via the play-off route, however, is anybody's guess.
“I think Carlos Corberan did a great job at Huddersfield and is a bit like Marcelo Bielsa," Pulis added. "He's very dedicated to his job and most likely doesn't think about anything other than winning the next game on a Saturday or Tuesday. I've met him a couple of times and think he's an honest and genuine lad, who's done a fabulous job at the club. They'll finish in the top six for sure and then it's a toss of a coin whether they go up or not.”
