Tony Pulis feels West Bromwich Albion blundered by investing in young players while in the Premier League rather than developing their youthful talent.
Former Baggies manager who was in charge at the Hawthorns from 2015 to 2017 and believes a promising crop of youngsters at the club during his tenure there should have been given a chance.
However, West Brom invested heavily in other young players in the belief that they would generate a profit, notably a £15 million purchase of Oliver Burke from RB Leipzig, who only played 24 times in three seasons and scored once.
“All of a sudden there was this recruitment phase that everyone seems to have bought into, but then it was new to me,” Pulis remarked on the Express & Star’s Baggies Broadcast podcast (11 September). I believe Burky was one of them; I wasn’t really sold on him, but that was the club’s preference.
“I thought we had a really good young group there with Leko, Edwards, Kane Wilson, Sam Field, Tyler Roberts.” We had them dipping in and out of the League Cup, and I was far happy doing so than investing in these guys who the club felt would provide a high return.
“They were a good group that needed a little more encouragement and involvement, and it’s probably an area where the club really blew it.”
I made a mistake.
When you look at West Brom’s present position in the football pyramid, you have to ask if they would have been better off investing in some of their younger talent, especially given where some of these players’ careers have gone subsequently.
Kane Wilson earned the League Two Player of the Season with Forest Green Rovers before making the transition to Bristol City, where he failed to make an impact. Jonathan Leko is still only 24 years old and was playing in the Championship with Birmingham City until the summer.
Tyler Roberts deceived with Leeds United before going on loan to QPR and is now back in the Championship with Birmingham. While these players were not Premier League-ready in 2017, they may have been valuable assets in England’s second division.
If the players had stayed at The Hawthorns, it may have been extremely beneficial to their growth. Most of them haven’t been able to settle and find their precise level subsequently, which may have been simpler with the club with which they rose through the ranks.
Hopefully, with Carlos Corberan in charge and a limited budget, the Baggies will not allow more enticing opportunities slide through their fingers.
